Hollowed Echoes
by brielle-watterson
Summary: With a mixture of horror and mysterious adventure, this fanfic bends the twist of Sofia the First and the one of the most famous characters of all, Dracula. As Cedric is featured as one of the Count's kind, he soon possesses Sofia as well. With this, he has to teach her the ways of being a vampire. How is he going to to keep her safe? Will the others accept her? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Alright people, let's get down to business. I have a "ground rule" to this story. IF-and only _**IF**_-__you _**DO NOT LIKE **_the idea of Cedric and Sofia being together, (yes, Sofia in _**ADULT FORM**_) then _DON'T READ THIS FANFIC. _Now that I have said this pretty clearly, I shouldn't have any fanfic hate in my inbox or in my reviews. If there are, well I'll just think that you are blind, stupid, or just don't know how to read. There is a TON of fluff in this, because you know how vampires are. Charming, smooth-talking, but when they're ticked off, it can be bad. This is a fanfic of mine that is one of my most popular, and I really hope you enjoy the concept of it all. With this one quick message, let us begin. I have so many ideas for this, and if you wish, you may send me some ideas of your own for the future. With this, let us begin.

Sofia was asleep. Well, almost asleep. She stared up at the ceiling, waiting for numbness to take over her and dreams to welcome her. The moonlight that came through her window sometimes caught her attention. As she lay on the window seat, she would stare up at it, wondering and questioning all sorts of things. She looked up at the brightness of the full moon.

"It must be cold up there," she whispered. There was no one around her. She could think out loud all she wanted. But Sofia decided to not say another word. After all, she liked the silence. She did not know the reason why, but why would you care about a reason for liking something? There are things out there that we are fond with, but cannot explain why, and that is just fine.

Even though Sofia was seven years old, she still liked to sleep on her window seat, and not in her bed. Her bed was too big, she would think at some times. It wasn't comfortable for a little damsel like her. Now the window seat? The window seat was just…perfect. It was just right for her.

Sofia pushed the thought of her bed out of her mind, and finally, after many hours of waiting, her eyelids began to become heavy. And soon, within a few more moments, the darkness finally took her, and guided her to a whole other world where dreams and reality collided.

Morning came by quickly. Baileywick, the castle steward, opened the doors to Sofia's room then walked in, getting ready to wake her up. He walked over to one of the other windows and opened up the curtains, revealing sunshine. But just as he turned around, he noticed something.

"Princess Sofia?" A figure was curled up on the window seat, rocking itself slightly, and he swore he could hear mumbling and murmuring. "Princess Sofia!" Baileywick ran over to her, putting an arm over her.

"Sofia? Sofia!" It took him a few more tries at calling her name to get her to respond. "Sofia, what's wrong?"

"The eyes…" she whispered. "The red eyes!" Baileywick was flummoxed.

"Red eyes? Sofia, what happened?"

"He's coming. He's coming!" She continued to rock herself, her body shaking in rhythm.

"He? Who's he?" No respond. Sofia's eyes were wide, the size of golf balls. They twitched, going left, right, down, and left again, repeating the pattern over and over. Baileywick held her in his arms, stroking her hair.

"Shh, hush, Sofia. It was just a bad dream. Everything's alright. There is no man, and there are no red eyes. Now come on, you need to get ready for breakfast and head on to school." Eventually, Sofia's frantic whispering and shaking stopped, and her mind came back to the real world. Baileywick retrieved her dress for her and left.

As Sofia tugged on her dress, she walked out of the room and headed down the hallway, wondering why she had this horrible nightmare. _But it was more than a nightmare,_ she would think to herself. Everything was so real. It had to be real.

Darkness was everywhere, blinding everything with its blackness. A pair of brown eyes appeared out of nowhere. Brown, glowing eyes, which turned into crimson. The blackness disappeared and was replaced with a river that ran red, while whispers echoed throughout the stillness and faded away, then came back.

"He's coming. He's coming. He's coming…" A dark laugh came through the emptiness, and dissipated as well. Blood. There was so much blood. And it came from nowhere. A faint figure came into view, but was blurry and far away. The clothing that it wore fluttered slowly, twisting and turning around the apparition's legs, as if a fog that held a small breeze was coming through. It was surreal. True, but not true.

Black smoke that stood out among the darkness hovered below a full moon that appeared. It spread out everywhere, covering part of the moon named Luna, and swallowing every last bit of space. Then, a forest came into view. Fog was all over the place, its light blue color covering half of the trees. A black wolf appeared out of it, and it held the red eyes that were once shown.

Eyes opened. That's when she woke up. To others it was a nightmare, but to her it was a vision. What was this? What did it mean? Why did she have this? Sofia's mind raced with questions, wondering which one to focus on first. But every time she tried, she'd fail at the fact that she couldn't answer them. But it was just a vision. It was time to move on, and not be stuck with this dream.

Everyone was already at the table when she arrived. Her chair was empty, next to James. Queen Miranda was the first one to react.

"Sofia? Are you okay? You look pale." All eyes turned on her. Great. The last thing she needed was everyone worrying about her, so she forced on a smile and tried to look her brightest.

"I'm fine, mom. I just couldn't sleep last night, that's all." After a few minutes of pondering, her mother accepted it and nodded her head. Then, the eating began. Sofia chewed on her piece of pancake, staring blankly at the plate, thinking about nothing. She didn't want to think of the dream. She didn't want to think about anything. So to her, there was nothing to think about. Just eat.

Breakfast was over and the day went by fast as well. School went as usual. Classes, recess, lunch, and then more class. The usual. Luckily, the weekend arrived, and there was no homework. As the carriage arrived back home in the evening, Sofia then thought of Cedric, and for some reason, perhaps no reason at all, she had a strong feeling that she needed to see him. Now.

She dropped her books by her room and started to look for the hallway that led to his workshop. The long, vertical walls stood out among her, her height making a huge difference at the feeling of being small. Sofia sighed happily, thinking that if she saw Cedric, every little bad thought would go away. But she still wondered, how could someone who was seven years old…have a vision or dream or whatever it was…like this? She shoved it out of her mind and walked up the stairs when she found them.

Sofia's feet carried her up the staircase, and she knocked on the door when she reached the entrance.

"Come in," a voice rasped. She opened the door and saw Cedric, who was sitting at his desk, making a potion. He turned his head around slightly, looking at her over his shoulders. Sofia's heart suddenly stopped. Her breathing dissipated. The eyes. Those brown, glowing eyes… She began to lose all of her senses. Those eyes… They were so clear. So…vibrant. So…hypnotizing. As if she couldn't take her eyes off of them. The world disappeared around her, and she became numb. She lost all feeling of her arms and legs, yet she could still stand. Those eyes…

And then it was over. He turned back around, breaking the contact, and everything came back to her.

Her senses, her surroundings, even her feelings. What was that? What did she just go through?

Cedric, who didn't smile, rose to his feet and walked into another room, without saying a word. After many moments, he came back out, carrying a piece of paper. But he no longer held the eyes he once possessed, and carried the ones that Sofia would normally see every day. She had to admit, she was confused, but held the courage to stay where she was.

"Mr. Ceedric?" He turned around and looked at her as he sat down, then grinned.

"Hello, Miss Sofia. What brings you here?" His smile held something that she couldn't explain, and his eyes gleamed brightly. …Well this was odd.

"Um…I just wanted to see you, that's all." She gazed at him, wondering what had changed.

"Oh?" he asked dominantly. "Well then, come here." He held out his arms, his Cheshire smile spreading from cheek to cheek. He looked so…pale. To the point where his skin was almost completely white. Sofia walked towards him, questioning his look.

"Mr. Ceedric? Why is your skin so pale?"

"I've just recovered from an illness, Sofia. I'm only having a few aftermaths of it," he replied slyly. She nodded her head as he invited her in his arms, then picked her up and settled her on his lap. He never did that. Sofia gazed into his eyes again.

"Your eyes are beautiful," she whispered out loud. His smile grew wider, showing a little bit of whiteness from his hidden teeth.

"Why, thank you, my dear. I'd have to say…they changed recently." Sofia's eyes broke away from his stare and settled upon his skin. His face looked pale and rough, his cheekbones appearing quite clearly. Yet he still looked young.

"You're so pale," she whispered again. Sofia rested her hand on his cheek, and then pulled away in shock. He was so…cold! It felt like ice when she touched him. She has felt cold skin before, but never like this!

"Mr. Ceedric, what's wrong with your skin? You're so cold, too." He smiled reassuringly.

"It'll be gone soon, my dear," he said smoothly. "It's just a few aftermaths from the fever I had not too long ago." He tilted her chin up with his pale, freezing hand, so she would look back into his eyes. "I'll be just fine." She nodded slowly and rested her head on his robe, closing her eyes and humming softly as he held her. Cedric had never held Sofia like this before. Something must've changed…

Sofia opened her eyes to see Cedric looking down at her. Did she fall asleep? She looked out the window and saw that the sun was setting. Dinner would be ready soon. No, sooner than that. Cedric's rigged hand kept stroking her hair softly, his smile never leaving his face.

"Mr. Ceedric?" she mumbled.

"It's alright, Sofia. You're awake. Now it's almost dinner time for you," he said as he helped her get to her feet. "It'll be ready in just a few minutes." Sofia smiled and looked up at him as she headed to the door.

"Thanks for letting me stay, Mr. Ceedric." He led her to the door and opened it for her.

"Oh, I believe you are going to be spending a lot of time here soon," he said as he ended it with a closed chuckle. Sofia waved goodbye at him and walked out of the workshop. When she disappeared around the corner, he laughed darkly. "Sleep well tonight, my little princess, for it will be your very last…"


	2. Chapter 2

The days dragged on, one by one, and over time, Sofia became more and more ill. The first night, when she left after visiting Cedric, she was fine. But since that night, every other night has been restless. She would sleep, only to be awakened by the visions again. And they played in her head over…and over…and over. The seven year-old started to question even her sanity. She didn't know if she was losing her own mind. Sofia described it as something that was coming over her. She could feel it, as if a parasite was digging into her skin. And one question, that stood out among all the others, raced through her mind. _What do these nightmares mean? Nightmares, visions-whatever they are. What did they mean?_

Sofia tried to find an answer as she walked around in the hallways. Walking always made her think more than she normally could. But day by day, her strength was fading, and her energy was only to be drained each time she woke up. Sweat would cover her in a thin blanket and paleness would take over her skin. Baileywick became worried and told King Roland about what was happening. The days came and went, and Sofia became weaker and weaker.

Even sometimes, Baileywick has caught her sleepwalking, he guessed, with her eyes open. She would walk around like an undead corpse, slowly stumbling through the halls. And the weird thing was, she always seemed to head toward the hallway that led to Cedric's workshop. Her mind would go blank, and she'd become numb again, losing all senses of her surroundings, and the presence of her thoughts. It was as if someone-or something-was dragging her out of her sleep and guiding her to…somewhere. Her eyes would look like they were wide awake, and her mouth would hang open just a little, and other times it would be closed. The thing was, was that every time Baileywick tried to get her to talk, she wouldn't respond, and he'd have to guide her back to bed.

The next morning, the royal steward came in, waking her up slowly, careful not to scare her. Sofia had become more emotional since the night she left Cedric's workshop, and her fear levels have never been so high.

"Oh, Baileywick," she cried when she awakened from her horrible slumber. "What's happening to me?"

"I don't know, Princess Sofia. I really don't know. But it'll go away soon," he lied. He didn't want to lie, but there was no other choice. He wasn't sure if this was going to go away or not.

"Keep your fingers crossed," he whispered to himself as he left her to get ready. "Keep your fingers crossed."

Sofia's day went on as any other day. But nights were the worst. Everything had gotten to the point where she would wake up screaming, saying "he's coming! He's coming!" But she never knew who 'he' was. And that was the mystery. As her symptoms became worse, Roland began to worry more. This was out of their control now, and he could only think of one thing to do.

The King ordered one of the castle's workers to retrieve a doctor, or someone who was experienced at medical treatment. As soon as the man arrived, he looked for the King and began to ask him questions.

"How long has this been going on?"

"About two weeks now."

"How does she describe her dreams?"

"Very dark, but she describes them so clearly. It's as if I can see them as well." The man nodded his head to each answer as he wrote it down on a piece of paper.

"Has she been active at night?"

"She is known to sleepwalk, but she always seems to be heading in one direction." The doctor shook it off.

"Directions don't usually matter in terms of sleepwalking. I just want to know if she has been doing this."

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Ever since the third night that she had her dream." The man nodded once more as he scribbled it down. He looked at the King with dull green eyes.

"Has she shown any signs of illness? Perhaps fevers or something?"

"She has been very pale, she would wake up all the time sweaty, and her temperature would rise up a bit."

"May I see her?" Roland nodded and led him to her room, then opened the door for him. "Give me a few minutes," he said. The King nodded and closed the door as the man entered.

It seemed like many hours until he finally came out.

"Well?" Roland urged. The doctor sighed.

"Give her a few days to rest, and don't let her go to school. We don't want to risk others catching whatever she might have. After all, it could be just a slight fever. As for the dreams…hmm…" He pondered for a moment, and then shook his head. "They are just dreams. They will be gone soon. But if they don't go away by the next three days, I'll contact someone."

"Thank you, Doctor." The man bowed politely and left the castle quietly, like wind leaving a closed-in cavern. And soon, nighttime came back once again.

Baileywick walked down the halls, making sure everyone was in bed. Well, the children, to be exact. He shut Amber's door when he noticed something. Sofia's door was cracked open. What on earth…

He headed over to her room slowly, reaching for the knob. He admitted that he was a little bit nervous of what he would find in there, but he took in enough bravery and quickly opened the door.

"PRINCESS SOFIA!" He shrank back in horror, as he saw her sleeping body hovering over her bed. A smoky black figure, in the shape of a human, turned its head to him and quickly vanished into nothing, leaving Sofia's body falling back onto the bed.

Baileywick ran out of the room in fright, and ran towards the King and Queen's bedroom. He never went there, but this was serious, and he didn't even bother to knock.

"Your Majesties," he said in between pants. "I-I-I saw…" His eyes were wide with fear, and his face was as white as a ghost as his hands shook and his legs trembled. "Come. Come!" He hurried them out of the room and down the hallways to where Sofia was.

"Baileywick, what's going on?" Miranda asked. The royal steward slammed Sofia's door open, only to be presented to a sleeping princess, whose covers weren't over her.

"B-but…she…she was just…"

"Baileywick, what's wrong?" Roland asked sternly, "Come on, spit it out." The butler turned his head to him.

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you, sir."

"Try me." Baileywick gulped, and then began to speak with a shaking voice.

"I was making sure the kids were asleep and…and…I saw Sofia's door cracked open when I KNOW I shut it. So I went in there and…and…her body was floating in the air, and her spine was bent in a weird way. There was a black figure looming over her, and it looked at me and disappeared quickly. Then she fell back onto the bed. Your Highnesses, I know this sounds crazy, but I know what I saw!"

Roland couldn't believe his ears. Right now, he didn't know what to believe. But he knew that Baileywick would never lie to him. He never has. So what would make him lie to him now? The fact of this realization scared him even more, and Roland knew that he needed to get some help. Some MAJOR help.

"Get one of the other men to get a priest," Roland blurted out to Baileywick. "That's an order." He nodded and quickly ran down the hallway and disappeared.

"Roland? What's going on?" Miranda asked him. He had almost forgotten that she was there.

"I don't know, dear. But we're going to find out."


	3. Chapter 3

_Warnings: _Lots of blood

Is a short chapter, and this is the one where she gets bitten.

Sofia woke up to the sound of whispers. The priest that Roland summoned already came and went, clueless of what was possibly wrong with her. She kept telling them that she was fine, but they wouldn't listen. Every night, she had the same dream. And it would play over and over in her head.

But tonight was different. She had been awake for a few hours now when everyone else was asleep. But the problem was that she didn't know why. Perhaps the case of insomnia was visiting her. She shook her thoughts out of her head and listened carefully. Yes, they were whispers, but she couldn't identify what they were saying. They surrounded her, echoing on her bed and bouncing off the walls, only to ring through her ears once again. Sofia closed her eyes and covered her ears, hoping that the horrible voices would leave.

But of course they didn't.

A black shadow seeped under the door and entered her room. Sofia drew back in fright, clutching the blankets tightly in her hands. She covered her eyes with it, praying that everything would go away.

And then it was silent.

Sofia's heart began to pound mildly, making her feel like it was going to explode through her chest. She took a deep breath, and ever so slowly opened her eyes. And then she lost it. Inside the black shadow were those two red eyes that always seem to capture her gaze. Sofia began to lose all of her feelings, surroundings and senses.

"Come to me," a voice whispered. The dark mass moved to the doorway as Sofia got out of bed and followed, her eyes never leaving the crimson color. The thing led her through the halls, leading her towards Cedric's workshop. It would disappear and come back again, like a ghost fading in and out. It was as if Sofia knew where she was going, though she was completely mindless. She didn't hit any walls, and seemed to walk in a straight line. Her uncontrolled feet carried her up the stone stairs and guided her to the door, which was already opened. The black mass went through the door and was gone, leaving nothing but the deathly sound of silence.

Sofia, still mindless, walked through the door. It closed behind her as she entered the room and stood in the middle of the clearing. Then, everything came back to her. She looked around, wondering where she was and rubbing her eyes to see if she was dreaming. But somehow she knew she wasn't. Sofia stared at the long window, the red curtains hiding the moonlight. In another room, she could see a little bit of light, and guessed that there was a fire pit down there that was burning. Her gaze settled back onto the walls and scanned over them until she noticed something. She looked up at where the staircase and the wall met, and saw a black mass, just like the shadow she once saw. It crept lower and lower, climbing down the wall on all fours. Its movement was flawless, and the dark clothing swept around it flowingly.

"Princess Sofia…" The black shadow moved downward even more, and the firelight from the other room revealed Cedric's pale face. "How nice of you to come visit me," he whispered. Sofia drew back in fear as he finished climbing down and was soon on his feet, leaving no trace of a mistake. And before she knew it, he was behind her, circling her small frame.

"I missed you so much," he rasped, ending it with a silent chuckle. He grinned wickedly, revealing some of his gleaming white teeth.

"M…Mr. Ceedric?" He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace as she rested her head against his torso, feeling bad that she was so small, compared to him. He no longer slumped over, and instead stood up straight.

"I've waited so long…" Cedric guided her to the other room where the fire was. He sat in his chair and settled her in his lap. She looked up at him and met those brilliant amber eyes that were holding a hint of hazel. It was the eyes that she saw when she first walked in a few weeks ago, before he disappeared and came back with the normal ones.

"Mr. Ceedric…" Sofia tried to find words, but she couldn't say anything. She leaned her head against his shoulder as he stroked her arm with one hand and her hair with the other.

"My dear," he whispered in a hushed voice. "I've been waiting for you. You should have come sooner." He tilted her head to the side, revealing her small neck. Cedric closed his eyes and ran his lips along her warm flesh, feeling the life that was pulsing through it. He could almost taste the blood that ran through her veins.

"Mr. Ceedric, I-"

"Shhhh. Silence, my dear." He opened his mouth and revealed his glistening fangs, and dove straight in. Sofia screamed, but was cut off very quickly. The pain was unbearable, to the point that she couldn't even make a sound. The blood filled Cedric's mouth as he swallowed it hungrily, finally getting his meal. Sofia's eyelids began to droop as her consciousness started to fade away. The more blood that was drained from her, the more tired she was. And after a few minutes, which seemed like hours, Sofia became unconscious. The sorcerer's mouth pulled away as he finished his meal, blood all over his lips and trailing down the corners. Through the bloody mess that he left behind on her neck, two bite marks appeared.

Cedric licked his lips, and then glanced at Sofia's wound. He smiled and placed his mouth right back on it, licking the extra blood around the marks and giving them a few more sucks, which gave him two more mouthfuls before he cleaned her neck completely. He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers, cuddling and cradling her. Sofia's head rested against his chest as he stroked her hair.

"Sleep…"

The small princess woke up in Cedric's arms hours later. She looked up and gazed into his warm eyes, then scanned over his smile. He held her close, and she knew that she couldn't escape from his embrace even if she tried. Sofia yawned and closed her eyes sleepily, only to reopen them again, her eyelids fluttering. Cedric's smile grew wider and softer as he stared at her in awe.

"My dear, you look hungry," he said. Sofia nodded her head slowly, feeling the emptiness inside her stomach. The sorcerer took his wrist and sliced it with his nail, blood escaping the deep cut. He held it up to her mouth as she looked at it.

"Go ahead," he said. "It's just for you." Sofia took it in her small hands and licked the blood, experimenting to see if she'd like it. But her hunger was too much for her to bear, and she ignored the taste of it and began to drink fast. Cedric sighed as he listened to the soft sound of her quick gulps, smiling at the sight of her drinking from him. Sofia let out a little whimper and he pressed the wound against her mouth harder, giving her what she wanted. He kissed her forehead as she continued to drink, opening her eyes and looking up at him before closing them again. Many moments went by until she finally felt full and released her mouth from the cut. Her mouth was smothered in blood, and Cedric chuckled a bit, knowing that she would have to get used to eating like this. And he knew that she would be a little sloppy at first.

"Did my little girl enjoy her first meal?" Sofia nodded her head and made out a little approving noise. "Good," he whispered. "Now let's get you cleaned up." He grabbed a handkerchief that was in one of his pockets wiped her mouth off gently, then licked up the last trail of blood that fell from the corner of her mouth.

"M…Mr. Ceedric…I-"

"Shhhh, don't try to talk. You're going to be sleepy for a little while, okay, darling?" Sofia closed her eyes again as he stroked her side, his hand running along her blue nightgown. "You just sleep, sweetheart. I'll be right here." Sofia's eyelids felt heavy once again, and she fell back asleep. Cedric rested his head on hers and cuddled her to his chest, rocking her back and forth and staring at the flames that leaped from the fire, wondering what he should do next, and if they would approve his choice.


	4. Chapter 4

Cedric looked out the window and waited. He watched the sun rise from the trees, and drew back down the stairs when its light reached his skin, making it burn and sizzle. Wormwood glanced at him, watching him disappear into another room. The sorcerer still wondered how even he was alive. Sofia was his first victim, as a human, at least. He watched her every day, standing by and waiting for his chance. All the while, he had to drink the blood of an animal to stay alive. And so he did.

Cedric walked into his room and saw his former bed. Although he no longer used it, he still liked to keep it around, and he couldn't explain why. He slept in a coffin now, a hard box fit for corpses. For vampires. But Sofia isn't ready for one of those yet, so it was a good thing he kept it. His mind turned to Sofia, his Sofia, and then he thought about her upcoming ceremony. Would they reject? Approve? He wasn't sure at the moment, and he knew that only time would tell. And with that last thought, he disappeared into the darkness, turning in for the day.

Baileywick opened the curtains in Sofia's room and looked over at her small frame, which was sleeping soundly. He gave her a sad look, wondering if she would get better. Cedric seemed to sneak her back in her room in the morning, and would always tell her to come see him when school was over. No one knew that he did this. No one knew that he was the one who bit her. No one knew that he was the vampire among them. And that was just fine. They didn't need to know. Cedric knew that if they found out, his life would end.

Sofia stirred in her sleep, and then opened her fluttering eyes. She sat up and looked at Baileywick.

"Morning already?" Her mumbling echoed through the walls.

"Yes, Princess Sofia. How are you feeling?"

"Very tired." The royal steward walked over to her and studied her features.

"You look pale. Very pale, actually. Have you eaten anything? Anything unusual?" Sofia rubbed her eyes, trying to talk.

"N-no. I feel fine. I'm just sleepy." Baileywick took his hand and gently put it against her forehead.

"Good heavens Sofia! You're freezing!" He placed the blanket back on her and guided her back to lying down.

"Go to sleep, Sofia. I thought you'd be better by now, but I guess I'll have to tell the King to call school off." She began to protest.

"But I need to go to school!"

"No, Sofia. You're staying here. I'll bring you breakfast as soon as its ready." And then he left. The princess curled back up in her blanket, looking out the window with her sleepy eyes.

"Oh, Mr. Ceedric," she whispered. "When will this be over?" She then turned her back to the window, away from the sun, and fell asleep.

"Sofia? Sofia, wake up." Baileywick shook her lightly, her breakfast sitting on a plate right next to him. "Sofia, your breakfast is ready. Come eat." He guided her over to the table she had and settled her down, then fetched her plate. She looked down at it as Baileywick left. It was pancakes, as usual, and she took a bite. It tasted foul. She wanted what Cedric gave her. She wanted her own meal. And she couldn't eat this, and her stomach felt like to was horribly starving.

Sofia stood up and quietly crept out of her room, making sure there were no maids, and then made a break for it. She hurried down the hallways and through the doors; looking at each room she passed by. When she reached the hallway that led to Cedric's workshop, she began to slow down. Her feet carried her up the stairs once more, and she closed the door behind her when she stepped in. All was quiet, and down into the other room, Cedric immediately opened his eyes when she came in. That was an advantage to being a vampire. Your senses are very high on many levels, and you have the hearing strength of a barn owl.

Before Sofia knew it, the sorcerer was standing across from her, his eyes gleaming.

"Sofia? You should be in bed," he rasped. "Actually, you should be getting ready for school."

"Baileywick said that I couldn't go because I was too pale and cold," she explained. "And I tried eating my pancakes, but they tasted horrible. I want…" She glanced over at his wrist, and could hear the blood running through it. It was warm, surprisingly, but it wasn't like any other blood. It was dark, almost black, and it looked like it would be cold. But it wasn't, and Sofia was thankful for that. She knew that she wouldn't like it if it was cold.

"I…" She tried to find the right words as she turned away shyly. "I'm just hungry." Cedric gazed at his poor princess, knowing the feeling of hunger in an empty stomach. He walked over to her and picked her up, carrying her to his room and settling down on the bed with her. She cuddled up to his chest as he pulled the covers over both of them, his body sitting up at an angle and his head resting against the upright pillow. Sofia looked up at him as he slit his wrist again, and then held it to her mouth. She took it gratefully and began to drink quickly.

"Shhh, my dear. Take your time." She slowed down, taking his advice and getting to taste the flavor. It tasted sweet, or maybe that was just because her taste buds were used to it. With her eyes closed, she took little by little, ending her meal with gulps after many minutes. When she felt full, she let go, her mouth covered in the red liquid once again. He wiped it away with his handkerchief, and cuddled her close.

"You stay here for the day, okay, sweetheart? I'll be right here." Sofia closed her eyes and settled back into his chest, breathing softly. He smiled lightly at the sight of her sleeping, and then fell asleep as well. He was a bit uncomfortable in bed, but he knew that Sofia needed him, and so he stayed.

Hours later, Cedric woke up and looked down at Sofia, who was wrapped up tightly in his arms. She buried her face in his chest, wanting him in her sleep. He smiled and stirred, giving a chance for Sofia to turn over. When she did, he climbed out of bed and kissed her cheek soundly.

"I'll be back soon, my dear." She moved in her sleep in response and continued to breathe softly as he left. He walked down the hallways and headed toward the throne room, where Roland and Miranda were sharing a conversation. Cedric and Wormwood never listened to castle chatter, so he didn't really have an idea of what was currently going on, and he didn't care. But this was important. Important enough for him to come out.

He stepped inside when he found a break between their words.

"Your Majesty?" Roland glanced over at him, as did Miranda.

"Cedric! Where have you been all this time?" The sorcerer was having none of it and was sincere.

"Where I am as usual. I've come to discuss this sorcery meeting, where we make a journey to a place where the main sorcerers meet. We give each other updates, as usual. You know the story."

"Oh? And what is this place called?" Roland teased. Cedric closed his eyes in annoyance and sighed, mumbling under his breath.

"For Christ's sake…" He looked back up at him and smiled. "That, I'm afraid, is classified information, and I have to be there tonight. However, I would like to take a guest with me." Roland was now curious.

"A guest? Who?"

"I'd like Princess Sofia to attend the meeting with me."

"Sofia?"

"It's just for a day," he reminded them.

"We know, Cedric," Roland said. "But why do you want to take Sofia?"

"Why not? It would be a great experience for her, and she seems interested in sorcery. I figured that if she saw this, she would look at the art of magic in a whole different way. But I can only take her with your permission." Cedric couldn't believe he was asking for approval. If he could, he would take her at his own will. But he knew the rules, and he would be in major trouble if he ever did something like that without them knowing.

The King and Queen looked at each other uncertain.

"I'm fine with it," Miranda whispered. "I think Sofia would love it."

"Yes, but what if something happens and we're not there?"

"There are others, Roland. She'll be just fine." He took a moment and thought about it, then decided.

"Alright, Cedric. You may take Sofia with you." The sorcerer bowed to them politely.

"Thank you, Your Highness." He left before any of them could say another word.

"Fools," he whispered as he smirked. "They'll fall for anything." He disappeared back into his workshop and woke Sofia up from her slumber when he reached his room.

"M…Mr. Ceedric?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"My dear," he said. "Go get dressed. You and I have a little trip to make." Sofia was immediately excited.

"We're going somewhere? Where?"

"It's a surprise," he assured her. "Now go get ready. It's almost time to leave." She quickly hopped out of bed and disappeared out of the workshop. He smiled happily and walked after her, knowing that tonight was going to be unforgettable.


	5. Chapter 5

_Quick note: _I have used the information off of the 1992 Dracula movie, and anything else I could find about Vlad the Impaler on Wikipedia. Some other vampiric things in here are added by my own creativity. Now we are getting into the long chapters.

"Are you ready?" Sofia walked through the door, looking up at him happily.

"I'm ready, Mr. Ceedric. I'm a little tired, but I think I can make it." Cedric nodded his head and grinned.

"Good. Now come. We need to leave now." He guided her through the door and down the hallways towards the entrance to the castle. There, Roland waited patiently at the door next to Baileywick. The King smiled, but Baileywick was uncertain. He was surprised that Roland was letting Cedric take Sofia out when she still felt weak.

"Are you sure about this, Your Highness?" he whispered. "Sofia has been ill lately."

"She's getting better, Baileywick. If anything happens, Cedric will bring her home. Don't worry." The royal steward was still hesitant and glared at Cedric when he appeared. Sofia said goodbye to the King and walked over to Cedric's side, holding his hand. Baileywick stepped forth.

"You take care of her, understand?" he hissed quietly. "If anything happens, I'll-"

"Back off, Mr. Butler, Sofia is mine." Baileywick glared at him one last time before they walked off. Cedric and Sofia had to walk to a certain woods. A carriage would wait there, and it would take at least two hours to get to their location. All the while, Sofia stayed close to Cedric, her hand never leaving his. When nighttime came, she drew even closer, clutching his robe for protection.

"My dear," he said with comfort. "Nothing is going to happen to you. It's alright."

"I'm scared." He stopped and knelt down beside her, his face inches from hers.

"Don't be. I'm with you." He kissed her cheek then rose to his feet, and they began walking once again. Sofia couldn't explain why she felt afraid. Perhaps it was the darkness that the forest held. Perhaps it was the light of the full moon that gave her chills. Either way, it made her nervous. The moonlight made it worse, causing shadows among the trees and bushes, making Sofia think that something would come out and take her. But then she remembered Cedric, and knew that if she stayed next to him, everything would be fine. He was her own protective force field, and she giggled at the thought.

"Mr. Ceedric?"

"Yes, my Sofia?"

"Why did you bite me?" He smiled at her question, and perhaps it was about time she knew.

"Every vampire needs to feed, sweetheart." He looked down at her and ran his hand along the side of her small neck. "And I couldn't help myself."

"Okay, but…why me?" She looked up at him with her big blue eyes, which seemed a lot more vibrant, just like his.

"Because you are all I have. You are the only princess-the only one-that believes in me. …The only one that loves me and accepts who I am. And I could never be more thankful that heaven sent you to me." He stopped and held her close, her head resting against his torso.

"You are all I ever wanted. All I ever loved. And I would be nothing if I didn't have you." Sofia smiled and cuddled him for a brief moment.

"I love you so much," she whispered silently. Cedric smiled again and stroked her hair, his arms wrapped around her tightly.

"And I love you, Sofia. I always will." The two had their special moment, and then continued to walk east.

"Mr. Ceedric?"

"Yes?"

"What is a vampire?"

"Vampires date back to the fourteenth century, my dear. Long before you and I were born. Our kind started with one. And that was Vlad Dracula. He was a soldier, more or as a leader of an army that was at war with the Turks. He killed people in his own little way. He would impale them on pole-like sticks and drain their blood, making them die through agony. It was strange, but in the end, his army won. No one really knows which side he is on, or if he was defending both God and the Devil. After all, he was protecting his own Christianity. Either way, he succeeded. And then, he remembered his beloved Elizabetha, and headed toward home, where he found her in the church where he said goodbye."

Sofia nodded her head understandably, the story running through her mind.

"Unfortunately, Elizabetha committed suicide and threw herself off a cliff, because she thought that her prince was dead. It was a mistake that she made, but Vlad thought of it differently. He blamed God for it, and cursed him because of her death, thinking that it was He who made her do it. And either Satan or The Lord himself, I can't quite recall, punished him, and so began the race of vampires. Now, there are hundreds of us, too much to count."

"Is Prince Vlad still alive?" Cedric shook his head.

"I'm not sure. Maybe, or maybe not. He is the King of all vampires, although I have never seen him with my own eyes. There are rumors that say he is dead, but no one really knows for sure. And honestly, I really don't want to meet him."

"Why not, Mr. Ceedric?"

"Sweetheart, he was a gruesome man. He's different than you and I and I don't want to take any chances. Especially when I have you." Cedric held her hand tighter, thinking of what might happen if he came in contact with the King. It would send him chills, and he didn't really know what would happen if the Count met Sofia. It scared him a little to think about it, and he guided Sofia closer to him.

"Poor Prince Vlad. He didn't deserve that." Cedric couldn't really agree, then again, he couldn't disagree. He didn't dare disagree. Anything sudden could happen at this point.

"Yes, he was a prince," he said, "but we don't call him that. As humans, we'd call him the Count, or just Dracula. Now that we are vampires, men must call him my Lord or something similar to that, and women must call him Master, or…well…I guess just Master."

"Why do we have to call him that?" Sofia asked.

"I don't know, sweetheart. It's how it always was. But let's hope that we'll never come in contact with him, okay? It's more likely a bad idea. Never let him fool you with his kindness. Vampires are soulless, Sofia. We don't have hearts. But I…I have a little bit of one. One that is dedicated to my kind," He looked down at her and smiled. "And to my little soon-to-be vampire."

"I'm going to be a vampire?" Sofia asked curiously.

"Yes, my dear. And I think you'll quite enjoy it. There are advantages to being a vampire. A whole list, actually. We have many abilities. And each of us has our own special power."

"Really?" Sofia's eyes widened with excitement. "What's mine?" Cedric chuckled silently.

"You have not discovered yours yet, Sofia. But soon you'll know."

"Oh, okay. What's yours?"

"Mine? …I can translate thoughts to others minds, Sofia. Thoughts, visions, and even images from the past, the present, or the future. Like…if something is happening right now in the castle, I can show you." Sofia looked like she was going to squeal in beloved happiness.

"Can you show me? Pretty please?" she asked with bright blue eyes.

"Well, who would you like to see?"

"Umm…show me…Amber!" They stopped walking as Cedric knelt down on his knees.

"Alright, now stay still and close your eyes." Sofia did what she was told, and began to see Amber's room coming into view. She walked over to her tiara shelf, wondering which one to pick with a smile on her face. As she picked up her pink tiara, she disappeared out the door and down into the hallway. Then, the vision began to fade, and soon Sofia could see nothing but darkness. She opened her eyes and looked up, the moonlight revealing Cedric's pale face. She found happiness inside his glowing eyes.

"Wow," she whispered. "All this time you could do that?"

"When I became a vampire and found what my power was, yes. But sorcerers could never do that. I no longer need magic, Sofia. But I keep my wand with me just in case." They began walking again, and minutes later, they arrived at a narrow dirt road and waited.

"What are we going to do now, Mr. Ceedric?"

"A carriage will come for us. It should be here any minute." And sure enough, moments later, Sofia could make out a pair of black horses from the fog, and a dim light that glowed from a lantern that was strapped onto the cart. It was too dark for Sofia to see the driver, and she drew closer to Cedric when the large carriage stopped in front of them.

"Cedric?" a deep voice said. Sofia could see the driver's hazel eyes, just like the ones Cedric possessed.

"I have made my choice," he replied calmly. The anonymous driver nodded his head.

"Hop in." The former sorcerer opened the door and stepped inside the cart, Sofia following him. She cuddled close to him when they sat down, thankful that it was just them. Cedric looked down at her, proud that she was his choice. He looked at his scarred wrist and slit it again, blood spilling forth.

"Here," he said as held it to her mouth. "Drink. It will quench your hunger and make you sleepy. Or at least mine does. It's going to be a long ride, and I want you to have your energy when we arrive." Sofia gently grabbed his wrist and looked up at him.

"Thank you, Mr. Ceedric." She closed her eyes and began to drink soundly, while he settled back and held her in his arms. He could hear her sweet little gulps once more, and pressed the wound harder against her mouth. She sucked even harder and made little noises, making Cedric smile. He knew she'd make a wonderful vampire.

Minutes came and went until she let go and fell asleep, her head resting against his chest as Cedric stroked her silky hair. The hours passed by one by one, all the while Cedric looking out the small window and at the rising full moon. He didn't want to think about the future yet, and so he kept those thoughts away from him. Sometimes, he didn't dare look. He was afraid of what he would see.

He glanced down at Sofia's small frame, her body sleeping softly. His eyes closed and his lips ran along her forehead, uncontrollably trying to give her as much affection as they could. He'd place little kisses on her cheek and nose, humming to the sound of her breathing. Cedric adored every bit of her, and nuzzled her with his nose happily. Sofia snuggled closer to him, moving into a warm position as she curled up her legs, and soon she was just a ball of flesh clinging onto him. But his smile dropped and he became sincere as the large castle came into view, its black form blocking out part of the white moon.

The driver opened the door.

"This way," he said. Cedric woke Sofia up as he left and headed down the stone road.

"Wake up, darling. We're here." Sofia opened her eyes and immediately awoke. She hopped out of the carriage as Cedric guided her toward the entrance, where two other vampires waited.

"Alamance…" Cedric said. "It is good to see you again." The pale vampire looked at him, his crystal eyes gleaming, his spiked red hair dimly shining against the torch lights that hung on the wall.

"It's good to see you as well, Cedric." The man looked down at Sofia.

"Is this the one?"

"This is the one." He nodded his head as the driver disappeared back into the darkness.

"Right this way." Cedric and Sofia followed him into the castle and through the hallways. Gargoyles hung on each side of long hallways, a lot more detailed than the ones at home. They were darker and bigger. And they held the resemblance of wolves and dragons. Alamance led them to the ceremonial room, where all vampires would complete their change. Viktor, the one who owned this part of the land, and the one who was in control of them, stood in the center of the clearing and waited, a large coffin-like box behind him, filled with blood.

All around him, other vampires stood in a circle, surrounding the walls closely. Some were single, and some were in pairs. Sofia looked up at Cedric before they walked in.

"What if they don't like me?" she asked in nervousness. Cedric knelt down beside her.

"They'll love you. I promise." He kissed her hand tenderly and led her into the room. Alamance walked over to his place and looked at Viktor.

"Cedric," Viktor said. "I see you have found one." He kept his hand in Sofia's. Her right hand clutched his robe, her body close to him. She could hear Cedric's voice in her mind, calmly speaking to her.

_ Stand up straight. Don't cower. You must show them bravery. They hunt for fear. They can see it in your eyes. Be strong. Know that I am with you. And when I am with you, you are loved._

Cedric's voice calmed her, just like the sight of the moon. It gave her courage, and her hand let go of his robe. She stood straight, curving her spine and showing pride. Viktor began his speech.

"For centuries," he announced, "the vampiric ways of our kind have clouded our years of life. Each of us has passed on our generation to the next, and a member of our family has taken a human under his own wing, and is now here to take his vows. Each of us have our own son or daughter, and have trained them to become one of us and learn the ways of a vampire. And now, the time has come once again, to take a child and guide them into our path, and give them the solemn oath that we have held for over hundreds of years. And so, let the ceremony begin!"

Viktor pointed his pale, rough finger at her.

"Child," he said, "come forth." Cedric's words came back to Sofia's mind.

_ Don't be scared, my little one. I am here._

Viktor guided her to the coffin, which was filled with crimson blood. Sofia slipped her shoes off and lifted her dress, stepping inside and looking up at Viktor.

"Cedric," he said, looking across the room that had no ceiling, "come." The moonlight shined down on the floor, the firelight bouncing off of the walls from the torches. Cedric silently walked over to the coffin, next to him. Viktor stepped away into the middle of the clearing once more.

"Name?"

"Sofia."

"Cedric, do you promise to take Sofia under your wing, to train as a vampire, to have and to hold, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"And do you, Sofia, promise to uphold our ways, to leave behind the life of a princess and to live as a vampire for years to come, and to obey your Master and forget all the memories of being royalty?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of our ancestors and our King, I pronounce you as an immortal, which will live the life of a vampire forever." Viktor nodded his head at Cedric and the former sorcerer dipped Sofia into the blood. "And now, child, you may rise."

Cedric lifted Sofia out of the pool of blood, her body and face smothered in it, drops of the color of red dripping off of her. Then, all the blood fell away back into the box and Sofia's eyes began to change. From a royal blue to the color of a clear sky, they shined and glistened in the moonlight. The hair that she carried on her head was more vibrant, the amber hue becoming deeper. Her face turned pale and smooth, along with four white little fangs appearing in her mouth, two on the top jaw and two on the bottom. The top ones were a little bit longer than the ones on the bottom, and her seven years of beauty shined more than ever.

Cedric fell in love with the sight. She was beautiful. She was his. She was his little Elizabetha. The most beautiful vampire in all the land. He smiled at the thought and guided her out of the coffin.

"Come, my dear. Let's get you cleaned up." He led her down a few hallways and into a room where a large canopy bed sat, just like the one at home, but it didn't hold bright colors. The walls were dark, and it was the same size as Sofia's room. Candlelight flickered on a nearby stand, the wax dripping on the gutters. Over on the far left was a desk, with journals and quill pens neatly put away and stored into it, along with books that told tales of vampires and held their very own history.

"If we ever stay here, this will be your room. Now, the bed? Usually men are the ones who sleep in coffins, but women have a choice. You can either sleep in a bed or a coffin. Which would you like?"

"I think I'll stick to the bed," she said politely. Cedric nodded his head and headed toward her walk-in closet. Out of the dresses he saw, there was one that was his favorite. It was dark blue, and there were prints of black roses and strings of ivy that held thorns on it. In the chest area, white lace covered some of it, an area covering the breasts. He smiled in satisfaction and grabbed it, along with the shoes that matched, which looked like thin slippers, the same shape as the ones she wore normally on the way there.

"Here," he said as he handed the outfit to her, "get ready. You have some vampires to meet." He kissed her hair before he left. "I'll be waiting for you."

Sofia looked at the dress and sighed when he walked out of the door. It was beautiful, and much more beautiful than her other one. When she put it on, it fit her comfortably, and wasn't puffy from the waist down like the one she had. It fit her perfectly, and she slipped on the shoes as she exited the room. Cedric stood at the end of the hallway, smiling at her as she made her way towards him, then reached up and took his arm as he guided her toward the dinner room. It was much bigger than the one at home; it's long and large walls towering over her, the chandeliers glowing brightly with candles. A long wooden table stretched out across the room, and in each chair, a vampire sat.

Cedric pointed out a few vampires for her.

"Each vampire has his or her own power. Over there, the one in the middle of the table on the left, the one with the silvery hair, is Silvano. He can teleport, disappearing from one place to another, much faster than normal vampires. He will fade away in one place and appear somewhere else when you least expect it. Next to him, the woman with the long, wavy brown hair and bright green eyes is Serena. She is his vampiric daughter, just as you are mine. Serena is fully grown, and she can communicate with animals."

Sofia paid attention to her, watching her chatter with Silvano. His silver-like eyes were on her as he shared the conversation, never leaving her bright iris ones. Serena's pale face gleamed softly in the light as she smiled at him, showing her fangs and laughing with him. Her oval face and perfect red lips made Sofia think: what if she looked like that when she became full grown? Would she be beautiful as her? Or would she be at a lower level? Cedric continued to talk, and her gaze turned back up to him as he pointed other ones out.

"The one with the spiked red hair is Alamance. You have already seen him, and he can make long whips of black fog emerge from his hands and blind others while in battle, killing them instantly."

Sofia had seen Alamance enough to the point where she knew that he shared the same personality and character as Cedric. Solemn and sincere, always taking everything as reality and not a joke. But Sofia had no problem with that, and ignored his blue gaze, the same color as hers, a light blue hue with a tint of moonlight, gleaming softly yet sharply.

"And that one over there in the very first chair, my dear, is young Vincent. That vampire has two grand powers. Some say that he was blessed by our dear King. He can evolve into any animal and master the elements. So far, he is the only vampire that is known to have not one, but two powers."

Sofia loved Vincent the first moment she laid eyes on him. She admired his soft chocolate eyes and adored his short and curly brown hair, always picking its own crazy day. She even liked the very small hairs that speckled and outlined the bottom of his face, from near the bottom of the ear all the way to the other one, and a little above the lips. He had a cheery voice, tinged with honey as she heard him talk about a tale of a vampire. He turned his beautiful gaze at her and smiled brightly, showing his snowy white teeth and fangs. She smiled back, savoring the kindness that was in his eyes. Vampires? Soulless? Not this one.

"And next to him, is Luna. They gave her that name in honor of her beautiful white hair that only she has. And yet, she still looks dashing. Luna can control the waves of the sea, just like Poseidon. Although her power is on a lower level than his, and can only control the waves. Nothing else."

"Is she Vincent's daughter?" Sofia asked.

"No," he said. "Vincent doesn't have a daughter. He is the only one who flies solo. It was his choice to not take one under his wing, because he didn't want to fall in love."

"Fall in love?"

"Whenever a vampire takes a son or daughter in their arms, when they grow up, they become their mate. And Vincent didn't want to give all of his love to just one person. Now I'm not saying he goes around picking other women and dropping them when he's done, but all Vincent wants is to treat everyone equally and share his compassion with all of us. And that was his choice to make. Not ours. Now over there, across from Luna, is Thyia. Thyia can control the forest, twisting vines and bending trees with her stare. It is great when it comes to battle and a piece of greenery is nearby."

Sofia stared over at Thyia. But of course she had green eyes, just like Serena's. She held a gentle smile too, but not as bright and happy as Vincent's. Sofia admired her lovely green dress, looking at the little leaves that were sewed into it. Red, green, yellow, brown and orange, all stored in each little leaf.

"And finally, the two at the end of the table, next to Viktor, is Coryn and Sincera. Coryn can hear from over ten miles away, beating the record for a regular vampire. He has the hearing power of a barn owl," Cedric chuckled. "And Sincera? She can basically glide in the air. Normal vampires turn into bats, but she can still stay in her usual form. Although, from her waist down, when she's in the air, all you can see is black smoke-like fog. Her shining hazel eyes are what hypnotize you, along with Coryn's, which is the exact same."

Sincera had the same hair color as Serena's. Lovely tree bark brown, although Sincera had a round face, just like Sofia's. Now Coryn, he had flat brown hair. Sofia liked his name, just like Vincent's. Coryn seemed to match.

"Now that I have shown you the main vampires, we may sit down and eat. Ah, look! Vincent is already waving at us. It seems he has saved a spot for both of us. Come. It's time to eat." And the two sat down and joined the feast. Everything was meat, or at least the food was, and the gold and silver cups were filled with either wine or blood.

Viktor stood up from his seat, which was set at the far end of the table and in the middle, between Coryn and Sincera. He held his cup in his hand and spoke with a strong voice.

"A toast," he spoke, "to our newest member of our kind." Everyone held their cups up. "Welcome to the family, young Sofia." Viktor smiled, the first smile she had ever seen him make, and took a drink of his wine as he sat back down, along with the others. And then, the feast began.


	6. Chapter 6

Sofia sat down on the canopy bed, wondering what personality Vincent held. She liked him, just like she liked Cedric when she first met him. She had the same feeling: happiness and warmth, along with a hint of serenity. But there was something missing when it came to Vincent. And that was longing. Sofia felt as if she could follow Cedric everywhere he went when she met him. But Vincent? All she felt she could do when it came to him was smile and become wonderful friends.

And that is what she did.

Vincent was the brightest vampire at the dinner table. He would laugh and tell jokes, being silly yet not too much. His teeth and fangs were beautiful, because he showed them constantly through smiling and laughing. He had much of a mixture of a round and oval face. But that didn't matter to Sofia. Even though he was a vampire, she knew that he had a heart, and it was a good one. He would take one of the spoons at the dinner table and balance it on his nose, crossing his eyes and smiling like a complete idiot. But it didn't matter. It seemed that Vincent was the one who gave hope to all of them. Because of him, maybe they all had hearts. They just needed to find them. To learn from them. And Sofia knew that she would help dear Vincent along the way.

The door cracked open and Sofia turned around, noticing that Cedric was at the door.

"My dear," he said softly. "I've noticed that a lot has been on your mind. Is there something wrong?" Sofia was confused, and then remembered what he said to her at the dinner table. Vampires could read others minds.

"No. I'm just happy," she said, smiling. "I'm really, really happy." Cedric smiled and walked over to the bed, closing the door behind him. He didn't have his robe on, and was only wearing his normal trousers and iris buttoned up shirt, which was open. Sofia could only see part of his chest, a thick line of flesh that was shown from the separated sides of the shirt. He was pale, but the candlelight seemed to light up his skin, and he held a peach-like color. And Sofia fell in love with the sight.

"Mr. Ceedric, I-"

"Shhh," he whispered as he climbed onto the bed. "No talking. It's late, and I want you to rest." The princess understood and nodded as he explained that the sun was going to come up soon. The former sorcerer was right. It may not happen each time, but there are possibilities that a vampire could become quite sleepy if they didn't get their rest. Well…more in a bad mood. And when it came to Cedric's kind…that more likely was not a good sight.

He closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around her, spooning her body and cuddling her close to him as he nestled down beside her. He trailed his lips up and down the side of her face, making her squirm just a little. She turned around and faced him, wrapping her small arm around him, trying to hold him close as well. Then, the fact came to Sofia. She was a daughter to Cedric now, but when she would grow up…

Sofia realized what would happen and buried her face in Cedric's chest. So that's why he was talking all sweet to her. She was going to be his mate when she would reach her top age. Sofia remembered what Cedric said. A vampire's age depends on how long they've lived, in terms of centuries, which was a hundred years. If it was one hundred, a vampire would look like a twenty-five to a thirty-two year-old man or woman. Now if they lived three hundred to four hundred years, they'd look like they were in their upper forties or fifties. And that was how far they went.

But none of this mattered to Sofia now, and she shook the thoughts out of her head, remembering that Cedric was with her and could invade her mind any minute. The advantage to that? Nothing. Vampires could only read human minds. Not their own kind. But Cedric, however, had this ability. He was the only one who ever had it.

"My dear," he whispered, "why are you thinking of so many things?" Sofia looked back up at him.

"I'm just wondering about certain subjects, that's all. It's going to take me a while to get used to things around here, just like it was being a princess. I'm a little bit nervous," she said hesitantly. Cedric held sympathy for her. He knew what it was like to be a beginner, not having any vampiric knowledge. And poor Sofia was so young…

"You will learn, my sweet." He closed his arm around her tighter. "Your training will begin tomorrow. But for now…" He kissed her cheek lovingly, and ended his words in a soft whisper. "I will stay with you for tonight." Sofia closed her eyes and settled into him, her hand rubbing his skin on the inside of his shirt. She gave it a small kiss before she nuzzled it, her face buried in his chest.

Cedric smiled down at her and wrapped the covers around them, holding her tightly in his arms as he slowly fell asleep himself, while the flame of the candle grew dimmer and dimmer, until it finally disappeared out of the castle and into the day.

"Come on, come on, you don't want to be late! They'll start questioning where you were! The less time you're not there, the more they'll question! Let's go! Let's go! Quit wasting time and say your goodbyes!"

"Calm down, Alamance. We'll get there just in time," Cedric replied sternly.

"You teach her well, vampire. Her life is in your hands for now." Cedric only nodded his head and looked back over his shoulder to see Sofia with Vincent.

"Goodbye, Vincent," she said. He knelt down in front of her and smiled.

"Always remember me. You'll see me again, one day." He looked over at a puddle of water and lifted his hand. Some of it rose from the ground and traveled over to his palm, all the while Sofia watching in amazement. Vincent used his eyes and the glob of water slowly formed into a small heart, then, using the dark soil which was almost black that was nearby, he once again used his eyes and printed a black V on it, a symbol for the name Vincent. Out of his pocket, his hand grabbed a heart locket, then trapped the water in it and sealed it shut, along with the letter V staying in its place.

Sofia gazed at him as he blew on the glass heart, and the water that was inside of it suddenly turned into ice.

"If you ever need me," he said, "this will be the key to my presence."

"How do I use it?"

"It responds at its own will. It's like it has a mind of its own. Don't worry. If anything happens to you, I will know." Sofia nodded her head to him and smiled. Vincent wrapped his arms around her and hugged her small frame, thinking that they have been blessed with the coming of her. It had been hundreds of years since their last newborn, and he knew that he would love this one just as any other. Perhaps even more. He let go of Sofia when Cedric called out to her. Vincent looked at her one last time before disappearing into the night.

"Farewell, dear Sofia."

The hours flew by, and the moon began vanishing phase by phase. Sofia felt something strange when it came to it. She would have mood swings. She would be scared. She would be happy. She would be curious. It was as if the moon wasn't part of the universe, and only she could see it. But her attention was snapped away from it and was on Cedric when he began to suddenly speak.

"Did you enjoy your ceremony?" Sofia looked up at him, her smile making him feel happy.

"Yes. Everyone was nice to me. Although Alamance didn't smile, nor talked to me, and I don't know why."

"That's Alamance for you, Sofia. He's just like that. Sometimes you have to accept how others are." Sofia sighed and leaned back against his chest.

"I know." Cedric smiled as he looked down at her and kissed her hair lovingly, while she fell asleep. He looked out the small window once again and smiled. The night made him happy as well. Happy and alive. But the ride had to end sometime, and hours later, Enchancia came into view, and he began to feel homesick. He already missed sharing conversations with his kind, and he wanted to train Sofia there. But he said that it was just for a day, and if he kept her any longer, Roland would come looking for him. And being a vampire, he wanted no trouble involved with humans, otherwise he'd be forced to kill the foolish king. But he didn't want Sofia to see that, and killing him would only pass the pain to her. And Cedric knew that he would hate himself forever if something he did caused Sofia to be emotionally torn and upset, taking someone from her life that she loved.

As the driver stopped at the entrance of the castle, Cedric saw Roland and Miranda waiting at the doors. He looked over at Sofia, who was wide awake now.

"Listen to me, Sofia," Cedric said firmly. "Tell no one of this. When we left, I told them that we were going to a gathering place where the sorcerers in each kingdom would meet. I decided to tag you along. If they ask you any questions about the journey, make your words stay away from the subject of vampires, got it? And don't call me Master around them. You call me that when we're alone, understand?"

Sofia nodded.

"Good. And don't let anyone know that you are a vampire. Keep your fangs hidden, and until you are trained, come see me if you're hungry." He looked back out the window across from Sofia and saw Baileywick walking down the steps towards them.

"Now go, my child." The castle steward opened the door and bowed as Sofia and Cedric walked out.

"Princess Sofia," Baileywick said warmly. "It's good to see you again. Welcome back."

"Hello, Baileywick." She smiled and walked toward her mother, who was smiling at her lovingly. "Hi, mom." Miranda laughed joyfully and guided Sofia into the castle.

"Come on, Sofia. You can tell me all about it," she said as they walked off and disappeared. Baileywick turned his gaze at Cedric and crossed his arms.

"Well? What happened?" he asked mockingly. The vampire glared at him.

"Pipe down. She's alive. I could have just left her there." Roland walked up to him.

"Cedric! Welcome back. Did she like it?"

"She enjoyed it, Your Highness. And she behaved well, too."

"What happened there?" Cedric looked at him one last time before walking away.

"Sofia will tell you all about it."

The former sorcerer reached for the key and unlocked the door to his workshop. Wormwood cawed and landed on his shoulder.

"Her ceremony was last night, Wormy. I had to take her. Now go on, morning will be here soon. I need to get some sleep." Cedric disappeared into the other room as Wormwood left and settled down in his coffin. He closed his eyes, waiting for sleep.

And soon, it came.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mr. Ceedric? When will my training begin?" Sofia closed the door behind her and walked over to the sorcerer who was writing at his desk. He turned around, looked down at her and smiled.

"Tonight, my dear. It will start tonight. You're up bright and early. It's only six o'clock. What are you doing up?"

"I'm…I'm scared," she mumbled. Cedric frowned.

"Of what, sweetheart?" She looked back up at him with worry in her eyes.

"What am I going to do with school? The sun will be out. I can't go in the sun." Cedric then realized her fear. He didn't think over that, and he pondered over it for many minutes. But, when his mind decided, he stood up from his chair and led Sofia to his room. He settled her down in his bed and tucked her in quietly.

"You leave me to take care of that, Sofia," he said as he kissed her forehead. "I'll talk with your father. Until then, you go to sleep. You are a vampire now, my dear. There is no more school for you. Just training. And training will be done soon before you even know it."

"I'm going to miss my friends," Sofia sighed. Cedric gave her a sympathetic look.

"I know you will, Sofia. But you'll get used to everything. I promise." He leaned down upon her and grinned, his face inches from hers, his sweet breath clouding her senses. "And, if you be a good girl while you are training, I'll let you have a few sleepovers and you can invite your friends over for the night."

Sofia suddenly longed for him. The way he talked and looked-she couldn't even move. It was too much for her to take, and she didn't hear or pay attention to a word he said. All she did was wrap her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck, her body begging for his touch and warmth. She turned her head a bit and kissed his cheek, nuzzling it for a bit before returning back to her warm position.

"I want to stay here with you, Mr. Ceedric," she mumbled. Cedric smiled when she called him that and began to stroke her hair.

"And you will stay here with me, Sofia." He settled her back down and kissed her cheek. "Now go to sleep. You need your rest. I'll go talk to the King when everyone wakes up. You stay here, sweetheart." He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, smiling happily and returning to his desk. He didn't know what excuse he was going to make when he has to tell Roland that Sofia must stay with him. But he could think about that later. Right now he needed to hatch up an idea on how to get Sofia out of school. It was going to be tough, but the minds of vampires could take any challenge. And Cedric knew that they would always win.

An hour later, everyone was starting to awake. All except for Sofia. She slept soundly and peacefully, safe in Cedric's bed. Her small form twisted and turned, burying her face in the covers, his scent filling her nose. In the workshop, Cedric finished writing down his long list of ingredients for his potions and headed out the door, closing it behind him and walking down the dim hallways. Violet, one of the maids, noticed him as he walked by, saying nothing to her. She looked at him, confused, wondering what he was doing and where he was going.

"What on earth? Since when did he come out?" She shrugged it off her shoulder and went back to cleaning the vase that was resting on a shelf.

Cedric continued to walk down many hallways silently, watching the gray walls pass him by as he went. Soon, the throne room came into view, and he already knew that Roland was in there from the hint of the voices that echoed silently throughout the halls. The former sorcerer took in bravery and stepped inside, walking over to where the King sat. He stepped up closer than usual, taking in as much courage as he could.

"Your Majesty?" Roland looked at him, along with Miranda. They stared at him, wondering what he was doing out this early.

"What is it, Cedric?" Miranda asked. Cedric kept his gaze sharply on Roland's as he spoke with a firm voice.

"Sofia came to me not too long ago and reported that she hasn't been feeling well. I gave her one of my healing potions and she is now asleep in my workshop. The potion takes a little while to settle in, and since Princess Sofia hasn't been looking well since we returned last night, I advise you to not let her go to school today."

"Oh. Of course, Cedric," Miranda said. Roland looked back at her and spoke in a whisper.

"But Sofia has missed so many school days, dear. What if she goes on probation? What if she misses too many?"

"If Sofia is not feeling well, Roland, there's no use taking her to school. If she's not feeling well, she won't listen to the teachers, and she won't participate in anything. She could even fall asleep in class. I don't want the mentors of Royal Prep to be disappointed in her and not knowing that she is still sick. I won't let that happen."

Cedric ignored their quiet bantering and began to walk away. He knew the decision was decided. Roland looked back at him.

"Cedric-"

"Sofia isn't going to school today, Your Highness. Enough." He walked away after that, ignoring Roland's shocked face at the tone he gave him.

Cedric returned to the workshop to find Sofia walking out of his room, rubbing her eyes sleepily. He smiled and chuckled, then walked over and picked her up.

"My little Sofia, you should be in bed."

"I missed you," she whispered. He smiled even brighter and led her back to his room, settling her down in the bed and cuddling her side as he climbed in, taking his robe and shoes off. Thankful for his long body, Sofia snuggled up against his chest, his long arm wrapping itself around her. She closed her eyes and smiled as he gave her a few soft kisses, his wet lips trailing themselves along her skin.

And Sofia loved every bit of it.

Hours came and went while they were asleep, the day passing by quickly. Sofia even skipped breakfast. Not that she needed human food. Cedric would give her her meal when they'd wake up. Until then, all Sofia could do was cuddle up to his chest and stay there.

When the night came, Sofia opened her eyes and felt Cedric's hand stroking her hair. She looked up and smiled at him, his eyes gleaming as he smiled back down at her. He offered her meal again, watching her drink as she slowly began to feel more awake.

And soon, training began.


	8. Chapter 8

"Keep your wings up! Try to feel every muscle in every stroke. And then," Cedric flung himself into the air. "Woosh! You shall be flying perfectly fine."

"But Mr. Ceedric, I can't get enough air to support my flaps. My wings are too small."

"It doesn't matter what your wing size is!" The large bat, whose wings stretched out for a good three feet, dived to the floor, only to be devoured by black fog. Then, the sorcerer appeared, his hazel eyes gleaming sharply in the moonlight. Sofia, who looked like a tiny fruit bat, flew down to the floor just like him, only to lose her balance and fall, and then change into her original form, groaning from her fall. Cedric chuckled.

"My dearest," he said, his voice coaxed in honey. "Every vampire started out this way."

"Why can't I get it right?" Sofia murmured, her head bowed in shame. The sorcerer lifted his eyebrows, staring down at her, until he knelt to the floor. His hand, which gleamed like the palest side of the moon, touched her chin with a numbing feeling, and made her eyes stare into his.

"Every professional started with a beginning, my dear."

"Even Vlad?" Cedric sighed when she spoke of…_Him_.

"Yes, even Vlad. Many vampires have had training at some time. And now since theirs has passed, it's time for yours. I know it may seem hard at first, but this is only your first lesson. Everything will be put together soon, my dearest. You just need to give it time."

Sofia gazed up at him, her eyes shining, the color changing to all different kinds of blue hues.

"But…how could Vlad finish his training if he was the very first one? There was no one to train him."

"Vlad figured everything out somehow in some way. But let's not speak of him, my dear. I find it very uncomfortable when he comes into our conversations. Let's not bring him in any more unless it is highly necessary, okay?"

"Okay." Sofia scooted closer to him as Cedric gathered her in his arms, closing his eyes and breathing her scent.

"I know everything may seem different now, my sweetness. But soon it'll grow on you, and you will be used to it. Now," he murmured, looking back at the window at the top of the stairs through which the sun was shining through. "I think it's time we get to bed. The next meeting that we will hold back with the others is due soon. Until then," he looked back down at her. "it's time to get some shuteye."

Cedric picked her up and carried her upstairs to his room, tucking her under the covers when she got settled in.

"Now you stay here for today, my dear. Get a good sleep." Sofia only nodded as he walked away, cracking the door and leaving her in the darkness.

"I can't keep this up, Wormy."

His raven, whose feather tips have turned a slight gray, flew over to him and rested on his shoulder as Cedric gazed at the rising dawn. As soon as the light touched the skin of his hand, he drew back into the shadows, after noticing that he skin was starting to burn as smoke came from it. Wormwood cawed.

"I cannot keep Sofia here any longer. I have to make her move into the castle. She needs to be somewhere where there is no harm. Somewhere safe. I too, for everyone around us are getting suspicious. And God knows what they'll do if they ever find out what I am and what I've done to the princess." Wormwood cawed again.

"_Former_ princess…" Cedric turned on his heel and evolved into a bat and dove for the door, turning around again as he watched Wormy flap his wings in place, him doing the same.

"Keep an eye on Sofia, Wormwood. I'm going to search the corridors and find out what I need to do to get Sofia, I, and you out of here. Until then, make sure no one enters this workshop." And with that, the door flew open and slammed shut, Cedric disappearing down the halls and around the corners. The large wings he possessed made him fly gracefully, barely needing any wing flaps. But the vampire was serious. No, no, he did not fly in circles and do corkscrews in bliss; he kept his mind set on what to do for the plan. Fake their deaths? No, that would just ruin the kingdom. Drowning the royal family in sorrow will do nothing. Everyone will question. And with question they'll suspect. And Sofia would hate me if it was I who caused innocent people to die under accusation. It wouldn't be fair.

Cedric's batty eyes widened. _Good grief. Since when did I develop sympathy so easily? I need to get that out of my head. The others wouldn't accept it._ Then, an idea came to him. _Vincent! That's it! Oh, it pains me to do this, risking the eternal life of my own kind, but I might just have to take that risk and we'll have to fight our way out of this castle and into ours. _

Cedric angled himself and turned right 'round and headed back to the workshop, his flying silent as a lamb's frolicking while the maids didn't notice him.

_I have to get the others. We have to make a plan. I have to lead them. Sofia is mine now. She belongs with me. And with me she'll forever stay. As he flew to the ground and the sorcerer appeared from the black smoke, he smiled. And we shall attack bravely. First, I will tell Roland what I have done, but I mustn't say any more. I cannot give out any more information than that. And if Roland wishes to fight for his former daughter, so be it. _

And with that, the vampire, whose purple robe traveled with him, locked the door of the workshop and trailed downstairs, then gave himself away to his coffin and turned in for the day.


	9. Chapter 9

As night began to fall and all was quiet, Cedric had Sofia change into her bat form and carried her across the sky, heading towards the castle. The stars gleamed brightly above them, the moon light shining through Cedric's wings as a black mass flew through the night. Cedric closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, and soon, the vampire family appeared. Viktor was having a conversation with Alamance, Coryn and Sincera were walking together, and Vincent was sitting by a doorway, messing around with the element of water, twisting and turning it in different shapes.

_"Are you going to keep that up, Vincent?" _Coryn asked as him and Sincera walked by him.

_ "Nonsense, dear friend. I am practicing and preparing my elements in case anything happens."_

_Oh, something is about to happen, Vincent,_ Cedric thought. _So be prepared._

"_So, Vincent,_" Sincera said. "_What do you think of the new vampire in town? Miss…Sofia, is that her name?_" Vincent looked up and nodded.

"_Yes, I like her. I can't wait to get to know her as much as she got to know me. I know she'll be a great vampire. I can see it through the eyes of our Lord himself. She'll be exemplary._" Sincera let out a giggle.

"_I see you have taken a shining to her._"

"_Watch it, Sincera. She belongs to Cedric. Remember, I may be a vampire, but I choose to be a loner. And I am happy and content with being that way. Now if you please, out of kindness, leave me to my duty?_" Sincera let out a joyful laugh as Coryn smiled.

"_Why yes, dear Vincent. We will._"

"_The only "duty" I see you doing is playing with water and sitting by yourself messing with your powers,_" Coryn joked.

"_Ha-ha, very funny,_" Vincent grumbled, rolling his eyes and getting back to focusing on the water which he possessed. Coryn and Sincera walked away, and Cedric's vision faded.

_ That's it!_ Cedric thought. _When we go into battle, I shall send Vincent with Sofia back to the castle and keep her safe there until the war is over. Oh, in the name of Vlad Dracula, I pray this works!_

Cedric clutched Sofia closer to him and dove into the forest, dodging trees and eventually coming to the path through which the carriages pick them up to take them to his kind. But Cedric knew the way, and thus he didn't need one as he continued flying flawlessly.

And soon, the pale light of hundreds of candles appeared, and the next thing they knew they were at the front gate where Alamance and Viktor stood.

Cedric, along with Sofia, returned to their vampiric forms.

"Viktor, we need to talk," Cedric said sternly. "Alamance, take Sofia to Vincent and have him spend some time with her. Let her have something to do while we continue our conversation." Alamance nodded and guided Cedric's daughter away through the doors and towards the man who was sitting near one of the corridors. Cedric turned his gaze back to Viktor, whose eyes had grown with a tad bit of curiosity.

"Come. Let us discuss." Cedric led the way towards the meeting room, where all the vampires would hold important meetings whether having to do with battle or changing organizations, which happened ever-so rarely.

"What is this about, Cedric?" Viktor's deep voice spoke, echoing off of the stone walls. Cedric sat down at a table as Viktor joined him.

"It is about the safety of Sofia."

"Yes, and?"

"We have been staying at Roland's castle for quite some time, but on the other hand our time is running out. I've noticed that Baileywick, the castle steward, is getting highly suspicious of my ways, and I fret that one day they are going to find out _everything_. And it will more likely start with him. So, I am planning that Sofia and I are coming here and moving in here permanently with our kind." Cedric looked over to the doorway that led to the outer corridors and into the ceremony banquet where Sofia and Vincent were talking on the far side.

"Where we _belong_…" Viktor snapped his fingers.

"Cedric? Cedric!" The vampire with the gray bangs and black hair snapped out of it.

"Hmm?"

"You were saying?"

"Oh," he cleared his throat. "Yes. Well, since there has been tension between the castle servants and me, Sofia and I are planning to come here and stay. But there's a catch: we cannot just leave Roland's castle and never return. They will search for her. And with searching comes hunting. They will notice that I, too, will be gone, thus making them suspicious of me. They'll think I am the one responsible for her disappearance and threaten to kill me if they find out. This threatens you as well, Viktor. If they find out what I am and learn what danger is upon them, they will hunt us down."

Viktor nodded his head as Cedric continued to speak.

"They will continue to wander and search and soon, they'll discover the castle and wipe out every single vampire that is here. And I can guarantee you that they will not stop until every last one of us have dropped dead for good. So, Viktor, this leaves us with only one solution: we have to _fight_." Viktor's eyes widened as his solemn voice rose a bit more than normally.

"A fight? Cedric, I can understand that she is your daughter and you care for her, but-"

"There is no other way, Viktor! If enough humans discover who we are and what we are capable of doing, they'll track us down and kill us all!"

"Cedric, I understand, but Sofia is your daughter and your responsibility. Not ours. I am not risking the lives of our kind over a child!"

Cedric's eyes narrowed.

"Then you will be responsible for letting someone_ kill_ your own kind. She is one of us now, Viktor! A vampire-that's who she is! And you are willing to give her eternal life to the hands of a human? That would prove your disloyalty to your own kind and the Count himself! May He bring shame upon you for not caring for our species through which we all vowed to protect!" Cedric's voice boomed throughout the walls.

"Cedric, I…I…"

"You have no words to speak any further, Viktor. Fight, or be punished. Make your choice." Cedric rose out of his seat and headed towards the doors, turning his head a bit before he left. "I shall speak of this to the others and I will hold a meeting here in a few hours. I will bring the news to the higher vampires, and through them all of the castle will know. After, I shall organize an army and we will lead into battle not tonight, but soon. Think about what I said, Viktor. If you won't lead us, then I will."

And for once, Cedric left the vampiric heir with no words, and disappeared through the corridor and into the ceremonial clearing. Viktor, alone with his thoughts, remained in the darkness.


	10. Chapter 10

Cedric walked out of the chamber doors without saying a word, heading into the clearing as Sofia turned her head towards him, who was still with Vincent. Vincent stood, noticing the solemn look on his face, and strolled over to him.

"Is everything alright, Cedric? You look…determined." The vampire took his chances and spoke.

"Get everyone to gather here as soon as possible. _Now._"

"Is there something wrong, Cedric?"

"Don't worry about it. Just get everyone here immediately. And keep Sofia close to you." Vincent nodded and hurried the little one along as he disappeared into one of the corridors. Cedric glided quickly over to Alamance, who was at the front of the gate.

"What do you want now, Cedric?"

"A meeting is being held. You and the others all need to come to the clearing now," he replied firmly.

"And how grave is it?"

"Very. Now get moving!" Alamance only nodded and walked away to warn others. And soon, Cedric could see Coryn and Sincera enter, wonder stitched into their faces-their eyes. _Good. I want everyone to attend. They have a right to know._

"Everyone! Everyone gather quick! Quickly, quickly! A meeting is being held. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish! Let's go!" Cedric listened to Alamance as he continued talking, speaking his little quote once more. "Come on, come on, we're wasting moonlight!"

Cedric smiled and after a good five to ten minutes, all the vampires that resided in the castle were in the ceremonial gathering place. It's time.

The young vampire walked through the clearing, heading towards the throne where Viktor sat, and stood in front of it. And then, he began.

"Attention all vampires! Ladies and gentlemen! I have come to you in desperation and determination to tell you of what is occurring outside our territory. And now, I am here to tell you of this, so listen well with the ears which you all possess, for the sake of my life and Sofia's."

Cedric looked over at Viktor.

"_Your kind…_" Viktor only turned his head. Cedric, who broke his gaze, looked back over to Thyia, the blond vampire's iris eyes filled with wonder, just like the rests'. She stood there, gazing at him, her left pale hand holding one of her precious leaves which fell from her dress. She looked concerned just as much as Cedric's. Sometimes he wondered how on earth she could stand these long winter nights. To go three seasons without summer…she ought to kill herself by then. Cedric knew how much her special season meant to her. But it couldn't be summer forever.

The former Enchancian sorcerer broke his gaze from her as well, and continued.

"I am afraid that the time of Sofia and I living in Enchancia is coming to an end. Everyone is getting suspicious of me, and if they find out who I am, they will go after Sofia, having no choice but to kill her as well from finding out what she is and not being able to reverse it."

"We have all taken our vows," Luna said, her blue eyes breaking the crowd. "It is our responsibility to make sure that each and every one of our kind is safe, otherwise our population will begin to grow weak, and the time of vampires will end."

"I refuse to let that happen!" Vincent called from the crowd, followed by many others. Cedric smiled. It seemed that they already understood.

"Roland is already fretting over Sofia, when he has no idea that she is not his daughter anymore. She is mine, and mine alone. Sofia is one of us now, and I will do whatever it takes to keep her away from harm. I-"

Just then, Sincera stepped forth, her lovely brown locks swaying to and fro while her calm voice filled the atmosphere.

"We know how important Sofia is to you, Cedric. And we all promised that we would protect each other no matter what faced us, even the second delivery of death itself." Cedric nodded.

"I-" He was cut off by the raise of the woman's hand, her red dress gleaming brightly from the silver swirls attached to it.

"Say no more, Cedric. Just tell us what we need to do. If fighting is what we need to do, then so be it."

That was all it took for Cedric to smile once more, then, Silvano came up.

"I am willing to fight for my own kind, no matter what age he or she is." The silver-haired man turned and faced the crowd and declared independence. "Who shall join me?"

Many hands went up, and cheers along with yells rose up from the moving corpses, so beautiful and so valiant. Cedric went straight to work.

"Alamance, Viktor, organize an attack party! Vincent, gather up as many soldiers you know best and separate them into groups. In the end, we will all come together in one army and will attack tomorrow night. Coryn," he said as he looked over to the young man who stood next to Serena. "sharpen the battle swords. To arms?" The brown-haired man nodded and echoed his words, his eyes narrowing.

"_To arms._"

Cedric watched as everyone prepared, getting their armor ready for the battle. Dawn was approaching, and everyone worked fast. The young vampire had to wonder why the Count even called vampires heartless in the first place. Yes, they may be against humans, but when it comes to _them_…they have hearts of gold that shine brighter than the sun. And to think that all along Vlad said that under their skin and bones there was nothing but blackness. Yet their actions tell him how wrong he was. Ever since Sofia came, Cedric's kind has been growing. Not out of darkness, but of light. And no one could argue how beautiful it is to have someone who is _seven_-someone so small and young-to come into a merciful place like this, dark and dreary, only to change the beliefs and practices carved in the walls.

_Sofia has made a great change in us all. She has turned the dead to being alive once more in a way. I…I have something to be proud of. Something to have great pride in. Something that nothing could ever replace. And I would give up my own life if it means that she will live._

"Mr. Ceedric?" The sorcerer broke away from his thoughts and looked down at the adorable figure.

"Yes, my sugar cup?" He tried to look for a sign of happiness in her eyes, knowing that she knew she was going to be safe and sound. But behind those thousands of blue hues, only sorrow remained.

"Mr. Ceedric…are you…are you planning to kill my…my family…for me?"

Cedric's eyes widened. Oh, no. How was he going to explain this? He didn't want to lie. No, no, not now, not to her. She would hate him forever if she ever found out, and he didn't want to risk that. So, he did his best and explained.

"Sofia…first of all, no, my dear, we are not planning to kill your family. It's just that…it's just that they have been making tension rise up between us and them. Sofia, if they found out who and what I am, soon they will know what I have done to you and what you are. They'll kill you, my dearest." Sofia's eyes widened with shock.

"My father would never kill me! How could you say that?!" she yelled, catching a few vampires' attention. Cedric became nervous.

"Sofia…you are a vampire now-not a human. You can't-"

"My father would never do such a thing to me! Everyone in the kingdom knows who I am! They'd never harm me! I can't believe you are going to kill them just because I'm different now!" Tears of blood leaked through her eyes and trailed down her cheeks.

"Sofia, I am only trying to protect you! We cannot take any risks! I promise everything is going to be fine." He reached down and grabbed her softly, bringing her in his embrace. "I just-"

"Get away from me! You…you…you _monster_!" She pulled away quickly as despair swept over her. How could he plan to kill her own family? Her _family_! "My family has a right to be here just as much as I! And if that's not good for you, then I don't want to stay with you anymore! I…_I hate all of you!_" She turned around and headed towards the gate, her head bowed.

"…I'm going home."

"Sofia, no, listen to me!"

"Sofia, listen to your father!" The former princess turned around, her voice booming and her eyes bloodshot, tears as red as rose petals streaming down her face.

"He's not my father! I'll find my way home myself!" She turned back around and sniffed.

"And I don't need you…"

Cedric's heart broke in two-if he even had one_. Oh, Sofia. My sweet, young, beautiful Sofia… This isn't what I intended to do. Don't go…_

"Stop her, Alamance!" Viktor cried. The red and spiked hair lost its gleam when he the vampire ran towards her, who was already out the gate and near the woods, only to be stopped by Vincent.

"Stop, brother! Let me go. It is I who she understands. It is I who is her greatest friend out of us all. The necklace she bears around her neck proves our companionship. Let me guide her. Let me open her eyes. Let me make her understand. Please, Alamance, Viktor! I will give her comfort, and our army will go on with ease."

It took Viktor a bit to confirm, but in the end he gave in.

"Fetch her, Vincent. Hurry!" The brown eyes of the young vampire gleamed wearily, and he turned right 'round on his heel, growling as his bones twisted and turned, his shape deforming. Then, out of the mass, a black wolf appeared, with eyes the color of crimson shining from its gaze, and then disappeared into the night.


	11. Chapter 11

Sofia walked on, not even bothering to look back at the gates that were disappearing from her reach. How could Cedric do that? To form an army and plan to kill her family? Okay, yes, she was a vampire. Yes, she couldn't walk in sunlight, but-

_The sunlight!_

The princess coward in fear as she gazed at the horizon, watching the red color suddenly turn to a pink, and then an orange.

_Oh, no!_

She ran farther than she could ever imagine, racing past hundreds of tree trunks, struggling to get back in the darkness. But the snow that lay upon the ground made her sprint difficult, and she could feel the borderline of dawn coming closer.

Every ray. Every inch of heat.

The vampiric apprentice stumbled and slid, hurrying past everything and dodging branches that remained on the ground. She knew that if she stayed for more than one second in the light she'd be done. On the other hand, her feet couldn't carry her much longer through the blanket of frozen rain, and she could feel her cheeks turn red and sting with pain as the light drew nearer, hungry for vampiric flesh. _Her _flesh.

A branch staggered up in her path, and she tumbled over the bark as her ankle let out a revolting crunch. The sunlight rushed closer, swallowing every ounce of navy blue in is way. The edge of her dress near her legs turned black, were lit aflame, and a few seconds went by before they formed into ash, dissipating and falling onto the whiteness. The princess' ankles turned bright red, and black marks smothered the skin as it sizzled.

Sofia turned around to take a peek at what was happening, but shrieked in pain as her cheeks and the side of her forehead were scorched with redness as her eyes burned. Agony shot throughout her body as she withered in the snow, trying to get up but failing from the injury of her ankle. She cried in despair as her arms gave way and soon were coated in murky marks, her pale skin turning to crimson red. It was only a matter of seconds until-

_What was that? _

A twig snapped nearby, and even though in pain, she froze. Her eyes scanned upon the trees, looking into the darkness. Another noise appeared, and then another. A growl echoes in the bushes, and a pair of red eyes appeared among the bracken, striking her with the memory of her vision.

Those eyes… Those small, piercing, crimson eyes…

A snarl escaped the creature's mouth, and an animal twice the size of its original dashed out of the leaves. Its fangs were white as ice, and the fur was as black as can be. The claws that it wore glistened in the coming of the light, and Sofia cowered in fear as it rushed to her.

It picked her up with its teeth gently, and then threw her onto its back as the wolf vanished into the darkness, the wind rushing in its ears. Sofia was too weak and feeble to try to escape, and the pain that bore throughout her corpse was unbearable. But there was something about this animal that made her feel…safe, as if there was a bright light up ahead and help was on the way. Her eyes opened and closed, her conscious fading in and out as the animal picked up its pace when the sunlight began to become out of reach.

_Hang in there, my friend, _Vincent thought. _We're almost there._

He skidded to a halt and changed form, his bones bending as he flung himself into the air, and then landing on both of his feet with Sofia in his arms. His smooth hands, though cold and dry, held her firmly against his chest while the gates opened for him. The man sprinted into the clearing, his brown eyes large and weary.

"Help!" he cried as the others approached. "She has been wounded!" Viktor called to the lady in green.

"Thyia!"

The woman's blonde hair waved in long streaks as she raced over to her, holding out her arms and speaking in a tender voice.

"Hand her to me. I'll take care of her."

Cedric, who was discussing something with Alamance, turned towards her as Thyia began to walk away with the child in her arms.

"Sofia!" He ran over to her, but was stopped by the stare of Thyia's vibrant green eyes.

"She had been hurt. You will see her later. If you want her to get better, then you will leave me to mend her wounds. It may take a few days, but I promise I'll bring her out as soon as she heals."

"She is my daughter," Cedric growled as he protested. "Since when did you have the right to tell me when and when I won't see her?" The forest vampire continued to hold her wise, steady gaze.

"I understand your concern, Cedric. But if her injuries are not attended properly, she could get an infection from the second degree burns and possibly lose her life. Now go organize your patrols, and prepare the group for battle. This still has not been cancelled."

The former sorcerer glanced at Sofia, sorrow and grief stricken across his face, then looked back at Thyia, and sighed.

"As you wish…"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Sofia awoke upon a soft bed, staring up at the ceiling of a murky room. A few candles glowed nearby, and the soft sound of a hand searching for something came to her ears and awakened her senses. The walls around her were a light orange, and a shadow walked against one of them, its figure dancing in the candlelight.

She lifted her head and flipped onto her stomach, then watched as Thyia returned from scanning for something in her cabinet. The former Enchancian princess reached out her arm, but let out a whimper from the soreness of her burns.

"You have been wounded pretty badly," Thyia's calm voice said as she drew closer, easing her back down onto the worn-out pillow. "But soon you will heal. Vampires are known to recover faster than humans. That's one more advantage marked down on the list." She chuckled with a slight smile as she turned around and strolled over to the fireplace, then grabbed a fire iron and rearranged the wood, causing sparks to fly up into the air and disappear in a flash.

"So tell me, young vampire," the adult said as she continued to poke around the mini logs, "why were you so upset earlier when we were preparing the ambush? You are going to be in here for quite a while, so we might as well get to know each other while I mend your injuries until you have healed completely."

Sofia hesitated for a moment, then began.

"I just can't believe Mr. Ceedric-"

"You mean Cedric?" Sofia ignored her.

"I just can't believe he plans to kill my family. They've done nothing wrong! They haven't been "searching for us" or "hunting us down". He can't just plan an attack on them! They're my family! I can't believe he's willing to do that to them. …To do that to…me."

Thyia turned towards her.

"Now, now, young one, I understand your concern for them. But the truth is: Cedric doesn't want to kill your family, Sofia. He doesn't plan to murder them, and the other vampires don't intend to do that as well. If they can settle things easily-which will more likely be astronomical-everything will be okay. But you must also be aware of the present, dear, not the past."

She inched closer to the child, and settled on her knees as she gazed into her eyes.

"You are no longer what you used to be, Sofia. You are a vampire. A young, strong, and most very beautiful vampire. You cannot just go out into the day and frolic around anymore. The human you once were is long gone now. This is a new era of you, my dear. Your history. It is up to you to decide your fate. Your home is with us now. And your family…I'm afraid they are going to have to be left behind."

"I know it's hard, but soon everything will be put together in time. All of the puzzle pieces, all of your questions-every one of them will be solved and answered. I'm sorry it has to be this way, but soon you will forget the life that you've left behind and look forward into what is to come. Every vampire here loves you, Sofia. And they always will. They are your family now. Your friends reside here. And until another one of your other companions back in the village of your kingdom gets bitten-which will more likely not happen-I'm afraid they will have to be left behind as well."

Sofia gazed down at the ground in sadness while tears swelled up in her eyes.

"But…my mom…my dad…my brother and sister…Amber and James…they…they need me." Thyia lifted her chin up in a comforting way.

"I'm sorry, young one. But things have changed. I know you may not think this way, but the past is the past. It doesn't matter what happened back then. What matters is who you choose to be now. Cedric went on and on about how much you wanted to be a vampire-how excited you were to find out that each of us had our own special talent or power. And you still have to discover yours as well, which is something to add to the adventure list."

The forest guardian reached over and held her hand.

"Just because you are a vampire…does not mean that this is the end of the road for you. There are so many things out there to explore-so much to see. Your time may be limited and you may be only able to travel at night, but you must realize that no vampire in our group stays in this castle forever. We attend meetings with other vampire organizations as well, and every day there is always something new to report or be heard about. And when this comes, every memory of your past will fade, and you will open your eyes to the present, and see what being a vampire all is about."

"Though we may have not had such a happy beginning with our leader and all, we still have the future to look forward to. We are immortals, Sofia. Unless we are stabbed in the heart or fade into dust from the sunlight, we never die. And with this comes great potential, dear one-so many opportunities."

Sofia breathed, her eyes widening.

"But what if we run into…you know…" Thyia let out a giggle of her own, as sweet as the leaves of a tree.

"That will more likely never happen. It'd be astronomical, although Viktor can give you some more background history on him, if you like. Though most of us never speak of our Master, he's not afraid to give you answers about him. I think that man is the one who knows the Count most of all. I think he has a library in one of the castle rooms that has a book that holds information about him. Lots and _lots _of information. But you may do that when you get better."

A clock hand struck six, and Thyia opened the doors from her room. Everyone had turned in for the night, even Cedric himself. She closed the doors as the sunlight hit the outside metal, and turned back to Sofia.

"It is dawn. The attack will be held tonight. For now you and I need to rest." She walked over and settled a wool blanket on her.

"I promise everything will be okay. Your former family will be fine. We will move if we have to in order to stay away from trouble with them. But nothing will happen to you, your present father, or your past family."

She walked over to the desk where her screw-in-wall cabinets resided beside it, and blew out the candle that rested there.

"Good day, Sofia. I shall see you at sundown."


	12. Chapter 12

Cedric, along with the help of Princess Sofia, stumbled in the doorway slowly, the entire royal family standing up. They had dismissed the hanging, with Roland knowing damn well that he couldn't do such a thing. Not after this. Not after what Sofia said… Out of them all, he was the one that felt the worse. The King had treated him horrible, and he didn't realize until then how much he'd been making a fuss over his mistakes. Sofia was right. How could he do this?

The sorcerer nodded his head down at his princess as she let him go, his smile never leaving his face for the whole time, all because she was there. His arms were weak, and a scar was left on his side from the stab wound. He was weak at this point, and even his own feet ached from the redemption that he received. His body was sore, and tiredness was stricken across his face. Sofia did the best she could to act mature, but it was difficult to resist the urge to wrap him in her embrace.

To hold him. To love him.

"Cedric," Roland spoke softly. "I…after what Sofia told us…I… I don't really know what to say."

"Told you?" he asked, confounded. "What did she tell you?"

"Sofia explained everything to us, Cedric. From the moment your friendship took flight. She described how…unhappy…you were, and she gave us every little detail of your childhood, from what you told her. She…she stood up for you, Cedric," he stammered. "I…I had no idea how terrible I treated you and now that…I know…I don't think I've ever felt more ashamed than this."

The sorcerer contemplated over what he was saying to him, wandering if there really _was _a possibility to forgive him.

_I have been looked down upon for many years. Even when I was just a lad. I don't…I don't think…_

It wasn't long until Sofia reached over and held his hand. His eyes gazed down into hers, a surprised expression making its way on his face as he saw her blue orbs swell up with tears.

_Then again…_

"Cedric," the King began once again. "I'm not sure if this is enough, but…things are going to change around here." The sorcerer stared at him, nervous as he thought about what he was going to do with him.

_Please don't send me back there, _his mind cried as it recalled how awful his cell was. _Please!_

But the thoughts faded away as the King's expression softened.

"Cedric, there is a place for you, at the top of the other spiral tower. It is better than the one you used to reside in, and it's the perfect place for a respected sorcerer, like you." Cedric leaned his head down a little as Sofia whispered into his ears.

"Don't worry. I checked the place out and made sure he kept his word. Go on," she urged. "It's what's best for you." The sorcerer chuckled.

"Yes, mother." Sofia giggled at his silliness, scooting closer to his side as she smiled. She hadn't felt this happy in weeks, and she was thankful that her sorcerer was back. And this time, he was here to stay.

The princess looked over to the far right, and nodded at the man that stood next to Miranda. Cedric followed her gaze and looked at the castle steward.

"Baileywick?" he asked, a little startled. He hadn't seen him in a long time, from how much time he spent in his workshop. The butler had a look of guilt on his face, his hands clasped together as he twiddled his thumbs and spoke nervously, avoiding his stare as he rolled his eyes around in awkwardness.

"Hello, Cedric. Umm…listen…uh, about earlier…what I said…I…" He took a deep breath, and released his words quickly. "I'm sorry."

The sorcerer stared for a moment, then smiled.

"It's quite alright," he replied. "I can't blame you. In fact," He turned to the family. "I can't blame all of you. I do mess up on magic quite a lot, and I can understand why you became irritated with me. I…I apologize that I wasn't good enough, and still not."

Sofia shook her head in disapproval and stepped up.

"And that is where they were wrong, Mr. Ceedric." The sorcerer looked down at her in wonder as she smiled at him, then looked at her family.

"Sure, you messed up on a few potions and spells," she said, pausing for a moment as Cedric frowned. _"But," _She grabbed his hand reassuringly. "What matters is that you did your best, and you _tried. _That's what makes you a great sorcerer, Mr. Ceedric."

"But I'm the _royal _sorcerer, Princess. I'm not supposed to get things wrong."

The youngest of the children wrapped her arms around him lovingly, looking up at him.

"Not everyone is perfect, my sorcerer," she murmured amorously. "Everyone makes mistakes. Big and small." She stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek, surprising him lightly at the sudden move and making him blush a little.

But he relaxed and took her passion happily, finally surrendering to her strong friendship.

"I…I guess I can try to work on my low self-esteem, Princess." Sofia smiled at his interest and turned to her family.

"Mr. Ceedric will take it," she confirmed. Roland grinned as Miranda strolled towards the sorcerer, solemnness in her eyes.

"Cedric… Why didn't you tell us this in the first place?" The man frowned and bowed his head, ashamed yet sad.

"It's just like what Sofia said, Your Majesty. I was never given a chance…"

Miranda nodded her head and hugged him reassuringly.

"Well you will no longer be treated like the way you used to be. From now on, things are going to change around here. We have given you a better place to stay in the castle, and a seat at the dinner table."

Cedric smiled, but it fell once her eyes turned into a cold stare. She turned around, and glared at Roland when she stepped to his side and elbowed him harshly.

"_Say it_."

"Alright, alright!" he exclaimed, leaning away from her and rubbing his arm. He took a deep breath, and let it out. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Cedric."

The Queen grinned in conquest as Cedric-who hesitated for just a moment-nodded.

"I…I guess I can accept the offering." Sofia smiled, but then noticed the other scratch on his side from the last blow that grazed him. She grabbed the sorcerer's hand, leading him away from her family and heading towards the hall where the aiding room was.

"Come on, now. Let's get that other scratch cleaned up before its gets an infection."

"Princess, its fi-"

"_Let's go._"

He smiled at the way she talked to him, as if she really was his mother and not Winifred. Cedric recalled that whenever he'd accidentally hurt himself in the workshop, and she was near, she'd always be immediately by his side, wanting to take care of him if he received any wounds. Sometime he would try to protest, but was always cut off with her stare. Then he would laugh.

_Good grief, _he thought. _It's like I have my own nurse._

A man strode out of the room, wearing a long, white jacket; his jawline freckled with small hairs as he looked at Sofia.

"May I help you, Your highness?"

"Mr. Ceedric has a cut on his side. I'm afraid it'll get an infection. Can you fix it?"

"But of course I can!" he said cheerfully. "Come on in, let me take a look." Cedric turned towards Sofia, and gave her a kiss on the forehead for her compassionate care before he walked in.

"I'll see you tonight, my dear."


	13. Chapter 13

A black shadow ran across the wall of an ancient room. Candles flickered vibrantly at its movement, while the very light from the moon was shut away from the closing doors. Cedric ran towards the figure that lie upon the mini bed, fear in his eyes. Thyia had let him in, luckily, and she left as soon as he entered. A loud sound outside-which was Vincent dropping a boulder from his element practicing-sounded through the air, but it was not enough to break the worry that the former sorcerer of Enchancia contained as he gazed at his child.

"Sofia? Sofia!" At first he whispered, but then he exclaimed more firmly. The young vampire's body shifted, while its arms remained bent and her hands rested next to her head. Her eyes fluttered open, and she turned to gaze upon him. It took a moment for her vision to be placed into focus, but in time, the light and Cedric's image all became clear, and she breathed.

"Mr. Ceedric. But…I thought that you're supposed to be organizing patrols."

"Supposed, Sofia. Supposed. But you mean much more to me than-in no offense-any of them. I came to see you, my dear. To see how you are doing. Now tell me: how are you doing?" the sorcerer asked, his eyes giving her a slight smile. Sofia's smiled back while she slowly at up, her arms supporting her in the process. Cedric's stare softened in awe as she beamed at him, and knew that she was happy to see him. His voice lowered into a warm whisper.

"My dear…"

He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her, holding her form against his chest as he gazed down at her. Sofia looked up at him, noticing that he then saw the last burn on the side of her cheek. Cedric's stare turned cold for a moment.

"The sunlight almost took you away. You could have been _killed!_"

He breathed, then eased the ice in his eyes.

"I told you, Sofia, it's not safe to be outside of the gates anymore unless you are with us or you are full grown. This is why you can't go back home," he said firmly. "You are a vampire, Sofia, not a human! You can't just go back home and walk in as if everything is normal. Your life changed, my dearest. And rather you like it or not, there's nothing you can do. But you must remember that not everything is bad now. You have a family. A bigger family. One that will support you through your time of need. Now I'm not saying that Roland or Miranda or your siblings or anyone else wasn't at the time, but…but…" He choked on his words for a moment.

"Oh, for the love of Dracula, you just _can't, _okay? Moral of the story."

Sofia stared down in sadness.

"But… But I…" Cedric lifted her chin.

"I'm sorry, my little one, but that's just not how it works anymore. Tell you what: when we arrive on the…umm…battle field, I will see if we can create a compromise. Not including the other vampires, but only you and I. I'll try to make an agreement with your father to let us visit at least once or twice every month at night. We'll have to arrive just before the sun sets. After, hmm…"

He thought about it, and then nodded.

"For the first night, we may stay with your family. The second, you are free to spend a night at your friends. It will be a two day visit. But then we must leave. The others might not accept the fact that we keep appearing ourselves to humans. But at least you will be able to see your mother, father, and so on." Cedric stood up and held her hand while she did the same.

"But for now, let me take you to your room. You still have a few hours of rest left. And then it will be time."

The vampire walked with her through the hallways, saying nothing as they passed by many gargoyles and stone walls. Candle torches which were screwed up high into the large rocks lit the way, their warm and dim light summoning Sofia to her room where her bed waited for her. Cedric tightened his grip on her hand and continued to walk, not saying another word until they were in, and he shut the door.

"Try to rest easily for the next amount of time," he said as he tucked her in. "I will come to wake you around eight. Then we'll head out." She nodded.

"Okay, Mr. Ceedric." A low noise whispered from the bottom of his throat, and he smiled.

"Good." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then her cheek where the burn was. "Rest now, my little vampire. We leave at sundown."


	14. Chapter 14

The chilly air of winter hit Sofia's nose as she stepped out into the clearing, watching everyone gather in separate groups. It was almost sundown, and from the gates she could see the horizon smothered in a light pink, then turn into a crimson red. The color reminded her of who she was now, and who could have known that such a thing strikes fear into other's hearts, yet gives beauty. Sofia turned her head towards Cedric, who was talking with Alamance about the troops in the center next to Vincent. Every now and then the male would look at her, and then look back at Coryn and Sincera. Serena would stroll by every now and then, her tree bark hair bouncing in waves. Silvano, who was with Thyia, glanced at her here and there, checking the little one out since he hasn't really met her yet. The former princess of Enchancia could see judgment in his gray eyes, but he was hundreds of years older and much stronger than her, so she dared not spoke to him unless he wanted to start a conversation. It'd be too awkward, and Sofia had a little bit more trouble socializing here now that she knew these weren't humans, and could kill her in an instant.

"Not that we would do that now, would we?" a voice asked, breaking the child from her thoughts. She looked up at Cedric and drew her eyes away hesitantly, gazing diagonally at the ground. The inside of his eyebrows curved up in sympathy. He knelt down to her height and brushed a piece of hair or two back, lifting her chin to look at him.

"I know this is hard," he said, "but I promise that I am going to do the best I can to make things right, if it's…possible." He made her look him in the eye. "There will be no killing unless if it is highly necessary, okay?" She only nodded.

He walked away and trailed over to Viktor, whose eyes have grown menacingly over the past few minutes. They were all prepared, for anything could happen once they step on that battle ground. Cedric had fear inside him, but only fear for Sofia. Fear for her safety. Fear for her happiness. Yes, she was a vampire now, but he wanted her to maintain the contentment she has carried over the years, even after when they first met. He was glad that Thyia had "the talk" with her, and he was even more eased when she told him that she could tell it gave her some comfort. And if Roland agreed to this little…agreement, she'd receive even more.

"Alright, the time is almost upon us," Viktor cried out. He pointed at the man who had two powers. "Vincent, fly up there and give us the signal when ready."

Sofia gazed at the man, watching him leap in the air and suddenly change into a large bat, its wings stretching far out while it made great flaps. It stopped just above the edge of the castle wall and hovered.

A few minutes went by, and everyone's gaze was on the bat that was in the air. Even Cedric peered up at it, waiting with a stern look. Gazing at the bird, he remembered Wormwood back at home. But Wormy knew where to find him, and therefore he didn't have to try to sneak in to his former home to get him.

A cry was heard above their heads, and they all tilted their necks even further as Vincent did a backflip, wings out, then gave a large flap full of energy, as if he just clapped his hands once. A large ring of mist grew from it, and faded into the sky.

"That's our cue," Alamance announced. "Head out!"

The groups got together as one and walked towards the gates that were open, not a single ounce of armor on them. Though the females changed from dresses to Gothic shirts and pants like the guys, all in black and wearing cloaks that had hoods covering their heads, Sofia couldn't help but wonder why no one told her to put anything new like that on. Well…new to her, at least.

"You are not fighting," Cedric muttered as he returned to her side. "That is why you are not wearing different clothes."

"Do you always read my thoughts, Mr. Ceedric?"

"Sorry-bad habit."

She only nodded as they quickly walked through the dense forest, thick with snow and the smell of dead trees as Sofia tried to keep up. They all had long legs and were really tall, towering over her but not to the point where they were giants. Like…the height of Roland. Yes, that's it, her father.

Former _father, _Sofia thought, glancing at Cedric then looking back at the path ahead of them. Although there…wasn't even a path, just dense trees than thinned out as they followed the last little bit of light the sun had. Sofia stopped for a moment, letting someone step on her heals, but then started walking again as she started to tremble in fear.

_The dim rays of the sun are hidden behind the clouds now, _Cedric's voice said as it entered her mind from his. _There's nothing to be afraid of. It won't hurt you. Not now._

She nodded and felt more comfortable, and she looked over her shoulder at the pack of vampiric people that were following her. Their heads were held high, taking pride in what they were and what they did. Sofia copied them and did the same, wanting to fit in and impress the others like the first day she did when she became a princess. It was then that she realized it was happening all over again, only this time she was a vampire and now that. It brought her relief to know that she had already made a few friends in just a few days. There was Vincent, and Thyia. The rest would have to wait until she ran into them and got to know them. Now if she could just have the courage to talk to Silvano…

Vincent still flew above Cedric and Sofia, joining the ones that were in the lead. His beady red eyes were fixed what lied ahead, and he flew effortlessly as his wings continued to be straight, flapping every once in a while. Because of the great size of his extensions, each fold of the two could catch enough air to carry him at the same level for a good two to three minutes. Sofia admired the way he moved, swiveling around the trees and dodging stray branches. The forest grew tall, and sometimes lost, huge twigs would get in his way. But they were no match for him, and the sun was no match for them as the edge of the forest came into view.

Sofia looked down at her amulet, the one she had always worn since the night her former father gave it to her, and saw nothing. Hmm…surely it would send a princess or something? To her this was a time for desperate help. But if one was to come, where would she talk to her? There weren't any hiding places around here, just a vast open wasteland covered in snow. A field that stretched flat for what looked like hundreds of yards, almost the size of a small lake. But then she glanced down at the necklace Vincent gave her, watching the soil-made V. It remained still, even if it was in water. The particles of the dirt didn't dare separate, just like the group of vampires that were walking together. She smiled as she remembered the night he made it for her, and knew that their friendship would go many ways. She just knew. And if-

"Prepare yourselves! Let Cedric talk to them! Unless he gives us a signal, _no one _will attack!" Viktor declared, readying the group. There were about twenty or thirty of them; they didn't need a whole army to confront humans. They were vampires-much stronger than them. They needed nothing but focus, confidence, and a steady, calm balance between them all. They knew what they were doing. Of course, some other members had to stay back at the castle, guarding it in case anything else happened besides this. So Cedric, who was in charge of everyone, took a small group of ten other strong guards, then grabbed everyone he knew and headed out. Sofia felt a little pride from him as she stared at the way he moved gracefully while he didn't hold that slope his back always made. He too wore a cloak, and the hood covered him as well. He wasn't wearing his robe at the time. Black gloves, black uniform-just like the others-and thin black pants. The cloaks, however, were red, and they fluttered calmly behind them elegantly. Although dark and mysterious, Sofia was impressed with everything.

They reached the edge of the forest, and didn't stop. Sofia could see a patrol of soldiers on the far side of the outstretched land, covered in silver armor than were dim and carrying long swords. And in front of them all, she saw her father on a tan horse, wearing only his outfit. With him was another sword, but he wore no armor, and he was calling out his past daughter's name. But from this distance, it was faint, and his head turned and twisted, searching for any sign of her. They continued to walk, approaching closer and closer until they reached almost halfway across the field, leaving behind no snow tracks.

"This is far enough," Viktor said in a hush voice as he paced through the center of them all. "Cedric will step forth with Sofia, and try to settle this. If he makes a move, that's our signal to attack." After making sure everyone understood, the leader returned to the front and stood next to the previous sorcerer.

"Are you sure of this?" he questioned in a hushed voice.

"I am sure. We will give them a chance. If anything happens-"

"I know, I know. It was a pleasure leading you, Cedric. Look, the King is stepping forth. Get going, and take your daughter with you. We're ready when you are."

He only nodded in gratitude. He turned his head slightly and glanced at Sofia, who was glancing at him, and nodded as they strode on, leaving them behind. The hood that remained on Cedric's head still hid his face, but from up close you could see his pale skin and sharp cheekbones that he had gained over the moons. Sofia felt a lump in her throat when Roland stopped, his group of soldiers just behind him. And after a few more long measures, which felt like miles but weren't, the two paused when they reached the point where they were just a good ten or seven or ten yards away from him. His daughter took a few steps back, not exactly next to him. She looked at her present father, and saw calmness stricken across his face, standing up straight. Sofia had a strong urge to run to her previous dad and go home, but she knew she couldn't. And in a few moments, once he noticed her, Roland smiled.

"Sofia!"

She was scared for her past father and shook her head, not wanting the former sorcerer to attack him if he tried to drag her over to his side. She didn't want to see him get hurt.

"No, dad, wait-"

But just when Roland hopped off his horse and started to run, Cedric dashed in front of her and blocked him, surprising the king of Enchancia a bit as he then took a few steps back.

"Wha…"

The man in red and black slowly lifted the hood off his head, and stared as Roland drew back in shock.

"C-C…Cedric?" he stammered, drawing back. The vampire grinned.

"In the flesh."

"B-but…how…why-"

"Looking for this?" He stepped aside and revealed the child.

"Sofia…" Roland held out his arms, taking a few steps forwards.

"Dad, no, don't-"

Cedric blocked her again, and Roland drew back in offense.

"Cedric, why are you-"

"I'm afraid Sofia has a new family now. She won't be coming back to stay anymore. She has a new home now." He knew that he couldn't give away the identity of what they were unless they were to fight, so he chose wisely when he spoke his words to him, slowly, firmly, and carefully in a strong voice.

"What are you talking about?" the King demanded, anger rising inside of him. "Sofia, come on, we're going home." She didn't budge. He took a step back in confusion, wondering what was going on.

"Cedric, what is this? And who are _they?_" he questioned, pointing to the group of vampires behind him.

"Why, they are Sofia's family, _Roland_, her new family." That was the first time in over many years he said his actually name instead of Your Highness or Your Majesty. Although it tasted foul on his tongue, he felt a little bit better that he was no longer under the reign of him.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Cedric," Roland's voice muttered, "but give my daughter to me, _now._" He grinned.

"No."

The soldiers behind the King gasped in surprise, shocked that he said no to a king. They felt tension rise in Roland, and his face was smothered in anger. Miranda ran out from behind his horse, holding out her hand.

"Sofia!"

Even though she could feel tears forming in her eyes, she quickly blinked them away and remained where she was. She knew that if she went back, they would find out what she was. From then, they would try to help her-to fix her. But once you're a vampire, you stay a vampire. And once they realize that they can't help her, and know that she feeds on blood, they'll have no choice but to be forced to kill her. And that wasn't what she wanted. Even though she would miss her friends and siblings dearly, she just couldn't go back. Vincent said so. Thyia said so. Cedric said so. This was what was best for her. She had no choice.

"Here's how we are going to do this," Cedric announced, pacing back and forth in front of Sofia slowly. "Due to the fact that Sofia is no longer able to stay at Enchancia, I can make a compromise. Let her and I visit every month-maybe once or twice-and stay two nights, then leave. Simple. You can spend time with her for a while, then the next night she may spend time with her friends tomorrow, and on the third night, we leave. Agreed?"

He waited patiently for an answer, but Roland unsheathed his sword.

"What do you think this is-a babysitting thing?! Give Sofia back to me now, Cedric!"

"I'm afraid that isn't an option. This is your treaty. Take it or leave it. If you agree, then we'll leave quietly as if none of this ever happened." But Roland growled.

"She's my daughter."

Cedric smirked, a fang slipping out of his lip as the amber color in his eyes faded to crimson.

"_Not anymore._"

Roland let out a cry and tried to stab him with the sword, but Cedric dodged the blow. Sofia covered her hands and let out a cry as she stumbled back. Her father ducked another one of Roland's blows, his cloak fluttering gracefully with him and dashed behind the other man, giving a kick to his back with his black leather boot. The King fell to the ground and cringed in pain, his spine tingling in agony. Cedric had somehow gained a lot of strength. The sword that he held flew out of his hand and skidded across the snow, yards away from him. Sofia's father returned in front of him and stepped on his arm, watching the man who was down wince in pain.

"That is a warning," he growled to him. "You will take my agreement or leave. Don't even think about showing your face to me again. And if you try to take my daughter away from me…I will find you…and I will kill you." The last words came to a whisper, and Sofia was too far from him to hear. Good. She didn't need to hear.

The next thing she knew, Viktor was standing right next to Cedric when Roland staggered onto his feet, his red eyes wide and glowing. He pale elder chuckled, smiling with his icy fangs as his appearance stroke fear into all their hearts. The soldiers gasped and shook violently in their armor, trembling before the two as Cedric smiled as well, blood-colored eyes gleaming and teeth shining.

"Vampires," a soldier whispered in horror.

"The Devil's minions."

"The Night Children."

Viktor grinned and stepped toward the ones who spoke, satisfied that they were cowering before him.

"Yes…" he murmured. "All the stories are true…"

And in a flash, he was back to Cedric, staring menacingly at Roland.

"Now… Our pack is tired of waiting. Do you agree to the deal or not, _human?_" Though staggering in fear, the King refused.

"Never!" Viktor grinned devilishly at his reply.

"Very well. But now that you know who we are, I'm afraid it's going to have to come to this." He held out his arm sideways, a little back towards the family, and beckoned them. And in an instant, they were there, waiting behind them, revealing their icy white teeth and cherry red eyes. Vincent stepped forth, and his bones began to change as he leaped into the air and landed on all fours, a large wolf appearing in front of them all, halfway taller than Sofia. His red eyes gleamed and his shaggy pelt shook, and he snarled violently at them. Roland let out a small cry as the other soldiers took even more steps back.

"I-Impossible…" the King whispered. Cedric stepped toward him, his smile completely gone as he drew nearer, his nose inches from his.

"_Nothing _is impossible."

_Snap!_

The pack of vampires immediately attacked, leaping over the soldiers and ending their lives rather quickly, dodging the blows of their swords. Cedric quickly turned to Vincent as Coryn seized Roland, dragging him into the battle and throwing bunches while the King struggled with his sword. Cedric hurried to Sofia and gathered her in his arms, picking her up and setting her on Vincent's back.

"Protect my daughter," he commanded. "Get her back to the castle and keep her safe. If anyone follows you back and I'm not there, kill them all."

"But Mr. Ceedric-"

He quickly cupped her cheeks in his palms.

"Sweetheart, I know you're scared, but I promise everything's going to be alright. Vincent is going to take you home. I'll be back as soon as I can." He kissed her forehead firmly, his eyes squeezing shut for a moment, his voice in a whisper as he said possibly his final goodbye while he recalled all those memories with her, ever since the day they met, and transferred them over into her mind so she could see them flash by before her very eyes. And behind the images, she could hear his voice.

_You've given me a wonderful life. I love you._

And then he was gone.


	15. Chapter 15

Vincent raced through the trees, his large running paws leaving behind a flurry of snow. Sofia's face was in his fir, and even though she wanted to cry in fear and sadness, the cold wind refused her silent request and forbid it. A howl left the wolf's mouth. They were almost there. The vampiric child could see the top of the spirals that the castle held. The others would be waiting there ready for Viktor's group's arrival, but only she and Vincent would be the only ones to show. What would they think? What would they say? What would they do when they find out that Viktor and his pack didn't come with them? Would they come for her former father? Would they destroy Enchancia? They couldn't do it all at once, but they were vampires. And vampires work in cruel ways, cunning and devious, knowing every trace of trickery there is. Sofia didn't want that. She had to explain it to them. Hopefully they'll listen.

Sofia clutched Vincent's shaggy pelt and held on tightly while her face was still stuffed in her fur. She feared for Vincent. She feared for Viktor, Thyia, Coryn and Sincera, along with Alamance.

But most of all…

She feared for Cedric.

She was scared that her previous father would hurt him-possibly kill him. She knew that Cedric didn't really hate him. Well…the murderous hate, at least. She knew that he didn't really like him, but it wasn't enough to kill him. So why would he do it now?

But she still had to understand what he was trying to do for her. Yes, he didn't want to kill him, but if her own past dad put her and her new family in danger, he would have no choice but to do so. Not out of satisfactory, but for the safety of her and her people. So what was she to do? Sofia knew that if he did such a thing she couldn't argue with him. She could understand why, and knew that she'd have to let it go some time. But still...her past father was kind and loving. Protective. It would be a grave loss if he was rid from the world.

But now wasn't the time for false hoping and sympathy. She and Vincent had to get back to the castle and warn the others. There was still a possible chance that the King and his soldiers could come for them. Though unlikely to happen, it could still come up. Luckily Sincera had them put up barricades, but she knew Roland and knew that those wouldn't last long. It wouldn't stop him from bringing "justice" to them all.

"Vincent, how much farther is the castle?" Sofia asked through the roaring wind as they passed by hundreds of trees. Only a quick growl came from him. She wasn't able to talk to him when he was in this form or any other animal form. But when he was a vampire he could.

Yet somehow she knew the answer as the gate came into view, and a voice cried through the air.

"It is Vincent and Sofia! Open the gates!"

She could hear the sound of metal clank together as the doors creaked open widely.

_Oh Mr. Ceedric, please be okay. _


	16. Chapter 16

Snow surrounded and smothered the sight of Cedric, his eyes searching for the source of the sudden blizzard that appeared. Through the sheet of white, he could see the shadows of bodies hit the ground and swords being drawn, only to dissipate with a scream. The color of crimson was spilt and could be seen upon the frozen earth, and it took a little bit for the flakes to die down. And when they did, he had to close his eyes and try to fight past the bloody scene. Soldiers from Roland's kingdom lay everywhere, their arms and legs missing from some of their bodies, some thrown over here and some thrown over there. It was as if everything was over, yet there were still other bodies standing besides them.

Cedric turned as he heard a snarl from behind. Viktor was now facing Roland, and he could see the deep gash on the man's arm from where he had cut him not too long ago while racing by to finish off another one of his soldiers.

"Hand me back my daughter! Where did you send her?!" he growled violently.

"You know boy, you should really respect your elders," Viktor mocked. Cedric drew closer, glaring.

"I demand to know where my daughter is! What have you done with her?!"

His red cape flowed with him while Viktor twisted behind him and held him in a headlock, his arms wrapped around his shoulders while he made him hunch over. The king tried to get up, but the vampire's strength was far more potent than his, and he could kill him in an instant.

"Now why do you care about her anyway? She's not your daughter, you fool! She was never one of your blood and now look at you! You're fighting a pack of our kind just to "save" her. She's not coming back, son. I suggest you get out of here while you still can. Cedric here might let you go with a little mercy. Now will you accept our deal or not?" Viktor's cold eyes stayed on the man who stood just a few yards away, and Roland saw him as well.

"Cedric!"

"The offer is still open," he said calmly, his pale hands running together through the black gloves. "If you accept then I can let you go. It'd be no trouble at all." His footsteps walked closer to the man who was almost down, and smirked as he watched the anger rise in his eyes.

"Look around, Roland. You already lost all your soldiers. Why lose more, when you can agree with my deal? After all, there's no way you can get Sofia back. She's happy where she is. Did you not hear her trying to tell you no when you made a scene? Now look where you're at. You're standing here in a headlock by one of the most experienced men that I know. And you think you're going to win?" he chuckled.

"There is blood stained here in the snow because of you, _King._ Let's face it, Sofia is gone. She's one of us now; you're never going to get her back. There's no way you can reverse our cycle. Once it's done, it's done."

But Roland's eyes still burned like fire, even from the way Cedric mocked him.

"Hand me my daughter now, and I will leave you be. I don't care what happens to my men, just give me back my daughter this instant!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. This is ridiculous. Even when I tell you that you can't see her you still don't listen. I should have taken over the kingdom a long time ago…"

"_What?!_"

The king staggered a bit, but Viktor still held on. Cedric turned around and took a few steps forward, gazing at the battlefield.

"But then again, who wants to run a kingdom whose soldiers can't even fight for a royal's child?"

"Oh, that is _it!_" Roland spun and thrashed, trying to break Viktor's hold. The crystal eyes that he held, which covered his red, turned to Cedric's.

"Boy, I'm getting tired of this. Are you going to finish him or not?" Without turning, he replied.

"Set the king free. He's no use to us. He's not getting his daughter back. And even if he brought all the kingdoms together we'd still win a fight. Take a few vampires and escort him and the others home. Don't hurt them. I think they've learned their lesson for now. But if any try to get away, kill them, but not the queen. Yet then again, she's smart enough not to run off anyway."

He turned around and stalked towards Roland, whose eyes were glaring up at him carnivorously. Cedric smirked, and it immediately faded.

"If I see you or your men come looking for us, and you are on our territory, I will find you, and I will hunt you down more than you could take one more step towards our castle. You're a human, Roland. A lousy human who is a king and has life handed to him on a silver platter. Nothing but a useless piece of dung in other words." He stood up straight and gazed at Viktor.

"Get rid of him. I want nothing to do with him. I'll gather up the others and we'll head home. I can already tell this was a waste of time."

The leader only nodded and carried him off, while Cedric tuned out the King's cries. Thyia came racing towards him, her green eyes filled with emerald while her curly blonde hair bounced in the night wind.

"Are you alright? Where is Viktor going?"

"He is escorting Roland and his men. Don't worry about him. We need to get home and I need you to treat everyone's wounds. If they have any…" she nodded and disappeared while Coryn came next.

"So I heard you telling off that "king." Impressive from you," he joked.

"Yes well he should know not to mess with vampires. Did he not learn from the childhood tales? I swear, everything that happens around here is filled with ridiculousness. A whole patrol that can't even fight! It took us no longer than thirty minutes to take almost every single man down! Well, back when I was the sorcerer, we didn't really have that good of a military anyway."

"Sofia is probably worried about you. Shouldn't we be getting back now?"

"That is what we're doing, Coryn. And we must hurry. Some others here might have a few battle wounds and I'd like to make sure everyone is well in case anything happens later on."

Coryn laughed.

"Cedric, we are vampires. One flesh wound from a sword or something isn't going to take us down."

"Yes, but there is always that one percent change of getting impaled. You don't want that now, do you?"

"Well…no…"

"Then I suggest you hurry up and grab the others. I'll gather Sincera, Serena, Luna, Silvano, and Thyia, and we'll head home. The others are going with Viktor to escort Roland home. Are you going with him or not?

"I'll go with him," Coryn quickly decided. "He needs a wingman for help."

"Then go, and be quick about it, you _and _Viktor. If anyone tries to get away, kill them. And no hunting!"

"Alright, alright, I got it: no hunting." And with that, the young one was off.

Cedric was a little bit worried of how Sofia was doing, yet he knew that she was with Vincent- one of the finest vampires he has ever known-and she was safe. Luckily he was one of the more social-loving kinds of vampires, therefore would give her company and distract her from his absence. From the past years he knew that she was one for distractions anyway. It shouldn't really be a problem. Yet still, Cedric had never wanted to go home more in his life. Hopefully she would be so happy that he was alive and she'd forget all about Roland or her mother or anyone else besides them. But those chances were little. Yet still, her former father is alive, along with her mother and such, so it shouldn't be a conflict to come up.

As many vampires gathered around him, and told everyone to get in a group and they'd start heading home. He was in the front, as usual, while this time Thyia and Luna took the place by his sides. Even though it began to snow and there was no moon out now that clouds were nearby, they still knew the way back like the palms of their hands. They were lucky this time; it could have been a lot worse. It could have drawn to the point where Cedric and his team would have to kill Roland. Humans can't know too much about vampires. Hopefully they scared the King off. Yet still…Roland wasn't the type to run away. And now that he knew Sofia was gone, there's no telling what he would do next and what risks he'd take.

Oh, but they'd be prepared. How they would be prepared. Cedric would slaughter every soldier in every kingdom if it meant to keep his Sofia. He was no longer the bystander who'd remain in the shadows. If he had to fight for what was his then he'd fight. And Sofia was the most prized thing he possessed. And there is nothing that is going to change that.

With a final approval nod of Thyia and the wave of Luna, the group headed east into the woods.

_Hang on, Sofia. I'm coming home._


	17. Chapter 17

It wasn't long before Cedric heard a faint knock on the door when Sofia asked for him to stay with her until she fell asleep. Thankfully she had just now fallen into a deep slumber, therefore if the person who was about to enter talked quietly she wouldn't have any knowledge of it.

"Come in. But be quiet, please."

The door creaked open, and Cedric was a little surprised at whose face appeared.

"Vincent! Why…well…w-what brings you here? Normally you don't really talk that much with me. This is a first. Is there something you need?" The man with the cocoa curly hair gave a half smile, his thick brown eyes gleaming from the fireplace that was on the other side of the bed. His pale hands rubbed together, and the firelight from the burning flames cast many peach hues among his skin.

"I um… I-I just came to check on Sofia. Is…is she alright? Is there anything she needs, sir?"

Cedric smiled. Vincent-thankfully-was someone that he could trust with Sofia, so there was no need to be even just a little bit cautious. He knew that the vampire had grown close to her; he'd catch glances at the two whenever he was having a conversation with someone, and that happened more often whenever they were in the ceremonial area. The ceremonial are was just a large circle-shaped clearing, while doors that led to hallways surrounded it as the border. South of the clearing was where the gate was. Through there you'd have a path of gravel, and then another large gate. May be a little strange to think about it, but it's always better to have extra protection than not enough.

"No. No, no, of course not. She's just sleeping for now. She's been up for a long time now. I sent her to bed first thing when I got here after we greeted. I guess Sofia was so shaken up from the news of the fight that she wanted me to stay for a little while," he sighed, stroking the little one's hair back as he gazed down at her. Vincent's smile widened.

"Well then I'm glad I'm welcomed." He shut the door silently and walked over to the side of the bed, kneeling down as he stared at Sofia's form, scanning over the blankets that covered her and Cedric while her hands clutched onto his green shirt, as if he was her own personal pillow.

"I never thanked you, Vincent," Cedric murmured while he continued to hold her in his arms. "You are the only person who pays attention to her. All the others just talk to each other and sometimes I wonder how lonely it could have been as a new child here with no one to talk to."

"Ah, don't get so worried about her. We have a kingdom that is now aware of our existence, Cedric. Everyone-I admit-is getting worked up. Even I'm a little bit nervous, but I am confident that we will beat them if the…humans…try to attack at any time. We just have to prepare and if anything be patient, right?"

Cedric grinned and agreed with a nod. A lot had been going through his mind, in fact. He thought about how he was going to keep Sofia safe, and the thought of Roland trying to find the castle and sneak in with a group of his men to-dare he say-kidnap her and take her back "home." To Sofia it wouldn't be kidnapping but to them it'd be. Cedric didn't like to think of it using that word, but what other word could there be to describe such a thing. He never wanted to let Sofia go. He'd put his own life on the line if it meant to keep her by his side.

"No one understands how I feel about Sofia, Vincent, no one. Not even my own words can describe how much she means to me." Vincent broke his gaze from the child and glanced up at him, his face growing solemn.

"I believe you, sir, I believe you."

Cedric once more nodded, and he swallowed as the firelight revealed the small bump that trailed down his throat and disappeared.

"It was so hard back in my day. I didn't exactly have a…fortunate childhood. A lot of stress was put on me, especially on the day when my father announced me as the official royal sorcerer," he smirked as he recalled it. "The first few months were the worst and I was a hot mess. I barely had any companions when I was a lad and one day I came across Wormwood. After that it seemed it was just me and him against the world."

Vincent's smile was long gone by the time he could see a little emotion in Cedric's eyes. The young man knew that he really wasn't one for strong words but this time it seemed different. And somewhere inside him he felt a little bit honored that he was giving him a background of his past.

"But then," Cedric said more clearly, his voice cracking for a moment, "then-many years later-she came. Now I didn't really pay attention to it at first; I thought it was just another marriage misshapen. After all, Roland needed a new queen I guess so why not? It was his decision. Yet it was only a matter of time before I stumbled into the youngest of the children in one of the hallways. She seemed to be going to bed. And when she bumped into me and I bent down to pick up my wand…there it was in front of me clear as day."

Vincent grew curious, a characteristic of his that was good like all others.

"And what would that be, Cedric?"

"Why, it was this." He lifted the silky covers and gently pulled out the purple amulet that Sofia wore around her neck that was tucked in right next to the one Vincent gave her almost a moon ago. "The Amulet of Avalor is what it is. It is a very potent jewel. With it, I thought I could take over the kingdom and succeed. That way everyone would see how great I really was."

"So you wanted to do that…so you could get respect? That's it?"

"Precisely, unfortunately for me Sofia made a promise to Roland that she'd never take it off. Because of that and her being goody-two-shoes and all, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get her to give it to me."

"And why did you not take it from her by force?" Vincent asked. "I'm sure if would have been easy; she's only seven." Cedric half-smiled at the fact, but it quickly faded as he grew solemn again, something that he had picked up even more since he'd have conversations with Alamance.

"There are two answers to that question, my friend. One: the only way for the amulet to give power to one's self is if the past bearer has given it to him or her. Two: well…"

It took a moment, and he sighed as he leaned back even more, his eyes never leaving Sofia.

"How could I do such a thing? I just didn't have the dark intention to do it. I only wanted power; I never wanted to hurt anyone in the process. Besides, Sofia is all I have now. Ever since the day she came she has treated me with respect. Even though I never showed it, I saw it every day. She loved me, believed in me, and then the night came when she told me about how she felt. No, I am not talking about the "lover" conversation type, but she only told me what my position was in her life," he chuckled.

"Sofia came to me more and more, and I soon began to realize that it was I who she'd come to if she ever needed help on anything serious. I thought she'd go to her father or her mother but no, no, she came to me. And sometimes I liked to think-under all these forty layers of rock that cover me-that I was her father instead of Roland. The more and more I realized her friendship towards me the softer I became towards her. There were even times when my heartstrings would be tugged on, which was something that only occurred with her. …There was no one else."

His lips crammed together from a moment, and Vincent could see water form in his eyes. He decided that now was a good time to get up and give him a little comfort, so he gently rose and patted his shoulder.

"I am sorry that your story may not have such a happy beginning, Cedric, but that doesn't make you who you are now. And taking over the kingdom to get respect would only get you more hate, and you'd lose the one thing that you have left. Sofia is all that you'll ever need. I know you know that now, but please don't take her for granted. Cherish what you have and ignore what others say or think about you. Their judgments mean nothing if you have the confidence within you. If you want something to be special, you have to _believe _it's special. Or at least…that's what Sofia told me."

Cedric let out a small laugh and smiled.

"Thank you for your advice, Vincent. I have to admit, the more everyone talks to me the more right they are. I guess planning to take over a kingdom wasn't really the best idea. I'm glad I've learned the lucky way and didn't exactly have to run into the consequences."

Vincent's brown eyes seemed to gleam as the firelight began to die away, and soon a large bell was heard very faintly as the clock struck eight o'clock. The sun would be up soon, and the man needed to get to bed just as him.

"I should get going now. If she awakes at any time, bid her goodnight for me. I want her to get just as much as rest just as you do. And please, do tell her that if you're ever busy, she can come to me for company. After all, this is Vincent. I'm always available for a friend." Cedric nodded at the man's optimism, and sometimes Vincent liked to be a little childish even though he was a grown man. Again, another good character trait that he contained. Thank goodness Sofia had him as well.

"I will make sure she knows, lad. Now the sun is almost up. I suggest you go."

Vincent smiled as he disappeared through the door, and Cedric spent the rest of the morning watching the fire die before he, too, fell asleep.

The only thing that remained was Sofia's sweet scent, and the calm silence of two hearts that didn't beat.


	18. Chapter 18

Later that day, when everyone awoke to bask in the moon's light and watch the sun fade away, Vincent invited Sofia to spend some time with him. They didn't really have any time to truly connect with each other since the battle intention came up, but now that it was past, Vincent had the chance to get to know Sofia more as a friend. Yes, she had Cedric, but somewhere inside him he wanted to be there for her too. He wanted her to realize that he wasn't like the others-all dark and broody other than Luna, Thyia or Serena. Well…sometimes for Serena. There was also Coryn too, but he knew that he was the kindest and most loving out of them all. And Sofia needed to know that in order for her to give him her trust. He was sure he already had it, but this was just in case. Besides, it was time for a little vampire and newcomer bonding moment. And this was his chance to make it happen.

His feet carried him across the clearing, the moon shining down right on the stone floor. Coryn walked by in the corner of his eyes while two guards who were having a conversation escaped in one of the corridors on his left. The gate was on his right, south of his position. He was facing east and was walking toward the figure that lingered in front of one of the doorways, and it took a few moments to notice the dress it was wearing.

"My, my, Sofia, you look lovely tonight. Who knew the dead could look so beautiful?" The young vampire giggled at his manner, and smiled.

"I used to think that the first time I found out Mr. Ceedric was a vampire. His skin felt so cold and he told me that everything that was different was just the after-effects of an illness. I know he lied to me, but that was just to protect his identity so I wouldn't go run to my former father and have him become endangered. He didn't necessarily do anything wrong, so even if I found out he was one, there wouldn't really be a reason for it. But anyways, you said you wanted to take me somewhere?"

Vincent remembered, sighed, grinned and nodded, speaking in a bright voice that was something he always carried around unless he was sad or upset.

"Ah, yes, I recall it now. Let's get a move on, shall we? We're wasting moonlight!"

The man leaped into the air, and in less than a second, Sofia could already see blue feathers linger in the air. A fog-like mist faded away, and her eyes widened at the sight before her, watching the flames that escaped his wings.

_A blue phoenix!_

As if he heard her, a nod came from its head, its sharp black eyes gleaming while it flew higher and did a backflip, being buoyant in the air. It was a fascinating sight, knowing that there was only one vampire in the world that could become anything anyone could ever imagine: young Vincent. He was beautiful in her eyes, yet then again, he was beautiful in all eyes. The vampires and the humans, the heavens and the earth, the day and the night-all in all, he was beautiful.

_Beautiful, _Sofia thought. _The perfect word to describe him: beautiful._

She gazed up in awe and astonishment as feathers fell from the starlit sky, and a bright figure hovered against the image of the moon. Vincent put on a show real quickly, raising his head high and giving his wings a huge beat. Blue fire danced around everywhere, sparks attaching to loose royal blue plumes as Sofia watched black burn spots appear when they fell to the ground.

_Raise the moon, Sofia._

Sofia gasped then looked around.

"Who was that?" She spun and glanced around from side to side, twisting while seeing the many faces that passed by, but none were talking to her. Not even Cedric. It wasn't his voice. It wasn't Vincent's. It was anonymous.

_Raise the moon._

She became scared now. Who was this that was speaking to her inside her mind? As far as she knew, Cedric was the only one who could read her thoughts or speak to her in her mind. So who was this? Her eyes dashed everywhere, and her heartbeat began to rise as the words seemed to have an echo while they spoke.

_Don't be afraid. The Night is yours. Raise the moon._

Just as she was about to speak, a blue blur flashed across her eyesight, and the voice faded away. She looked up at Vincent, who was tilting his head to the side as a sign of confusion.

"I…I'm sorry, Vincent. I was just…lost for a moment," her voice stuttered. Sofia gave herself a little twist and a twirl as her figure change into the form of a small bat. The evolution for her wasn't as painful as it was in the beginning, and each time she practiced the easier the flying became. As she gained her balance in the air and began to hover steadily, Vincent took that as a symbol that she was ready and flew on past the gate, a small black shadow following close behind him, keeping a good distance from the burning blue feathers.

Sofia flew up beside his head, flapping her wings very quickly just to get a glance at his head. His eyes were black and beady like hers, and a row of hundreds of baby blue hued dots covered the top of his eyes on both. A spiked and sleek Mohawk (not containing too much hair) started a few inches away from the base of his beak, reaching above his eyes and then raising off of his head. His image was angular and slim, not too skinny and not too plump, just enough to capture one's admiration. As Sofia thought before, Vincent was beautiful in every shape and form.

The flying only took a few minutes from his great and potent wing flaps, but it was as if Sofia had finished a running marathon. Her arms-or wings-were tired, and she landed with a thud on a log while Vincent attached himself onto the bark swiftly and gracefully, talons locked in place as his image blurred, and he was back to his true self. Sofia changed as well and looked up at him from the ground while he patted the tree bark.

"Well, come on, sit down." She staggered a moment, then caught herself and crawled up to him, her navy blue dress that held black lace a little bit dirty. Her breathing was heavy, and the young vampire was tired more than ever.

"H-how," she breathed, "how did you… How did…how did you do that?" Vincent laughed at her expression while she gasped for air, then gazed straight ahead towards something.

"Well I don't know about you, but if you haven't noticed, I am a shape shifter. I thought you already knew."

"Well I know you can change into animals, but I didn't think you would change into a _blue phoenix!_ I've only heard them in stories and tales that my mom used to tell me when I still lived in the village. She used to tell me that they would help whenever a fight would go on or a war. I knew you could change into creatures, but nothing like this!"

Vincent laughed one more in a cheery way.

"It is called a Night Phoenix, my dear. They thrive in the night. That's where they get their name from. The Night Phoenix has the most potent abilities out of all the phoenixes that exist. They can make the stars rain upon the earth; that's how powerful they are, yes! The Night Phoenix is unique, you see, and it is extremely rare for someone to encounter one."

Sofia gasped in amazement.

"So…you can evolve into animals…_and _mystical creatures?" He nodded at her question.

"Mhm, very so. I take great pride in being a shape shifter. Sometimes I just can't believe that I'm the only one in the world that exists, especially the only vampire in the world that has more than one power. You know what they say: first is the worst, second is the best, and third is the one with the hairy chest."

They both giggled and laughed, their happiness livening the night as the moon rose higher.

"Not necessarily," Sofia chortled. "Isn't zero the hero?"

"That is true too, Sof!" he smiled in reply. Vincent was about to say something else before he stopped himself, seeing the young'un's face fall.

"Umm…was there something I said?"

It took a moment, but she spoke.

"My brother used to call me that…"

"Brother?"

"James," she sighed. "He was the next one that was older. I was the youngest while Amber was the oldest. He used to call me that for short, like a nickname. I enjoy being here with you all and having a new family, but I still miss my past one. Sometimes I miss watching the sun rise and basking in the light. I miss hanging out with my friends and eating at the dinner table with everyone. I miss having the conversations with Clover and Robin, Mia and Whatnaught. I miss everything, Vincent!"

Her hands held her face as she stared at the ground, sadness forming in her eyes as water blurred her vision. Vincent put an arm around her and scooted close, his head leaning on hers as he gazed off into the distance.

"No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and dear to his heart and eye the morning can be." Sofia looked up at him with curiosity and wonder.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Oh it was just a quote that has been passed on from the Count for many generations. Every night I think about it, and usually it leads me into thinking about all the wonders of being a vampire. What our boundary lines are-our borders-everything that keeps us, the humans, the heavens and hell all in order. You know, all in place."

"I thought it'd be fine being one, but now I realize that there is much more that needs to be told than just vampires sucking blood and living in the darkness. That's how my mom and dad and everyone else told me it, anyway. They never really talked about it and neither did I." Vincent only nodded after he lifted his head.

"There's _a lot _more that needs to be told, Sofia, more than you could ever know. More than any other _human _could know."

"Yeah," she sighed, looking up at the moon. "I guess there is…"

Silence suddenly reined the atmosphere. A cold light breeze flowed through the air and flew past the two loners. The brown grass before them gave no sign of movement, the pale frost outlining it never fading away. Sofia broke her stare from the mesmerizing light of the moon and glanced back at Vincent.

"So…how is life being a vampire? All I've heard were stories that centered on those two things. Surely there's more than that, isn't there?"

He nodded and was glad that they were creating another conversation.

"There's more to being a vampire than feeding off of human and animal blood and remaining in the night. We have a set of "rules" or laws that we go by. I won't say all; there's not much that are important, such as staying out of the sunlight or not killing another one of our kind unless if highly necessary, but there's just so many things to see and so many things to do. The darkness will never stop us from exploring the earth."

"They say the night is filled with darkness and death. Where everywhere you go all you see is pairs of red bloody eyes among the bracken, and the owls swoop down above your head just to get a snatch of flesh. Or maybe those are crows…" He shrugged. "Either way, I like to believe that not everything the Night has to offer is bad and dreary."

Sofia stared up at him with curiosity and wonder again, something that she always did whenever she was interested in something. She would also have this little stretch to her as well, her hands supporting her on the log that they sat upon.

"But I thought that only evil things lived in the night. That's what everyone tells me and the others."

With a smile, Vincent leaned down a bit, his eyes halfway lidded as he spoke in a soft murmur.

"One can be blinded by what they see. But once you look past the silvery border between darkness and light, you'll find that the Night is truly a beautiful thing, and is just as precious as the Day."

A bright cerulean aurora escaped the frozen dirt and snow, and the sky was set ablaze with rays of green and pink lights, stretching from blue to purple. The bans of sapphire-like silky ribbons-trailed up the tree branches and stretched into the forest out of sight, while Sofia's breath was caught up in her throat as she breathed.

A body of water that was the color of a sun-painted sky displayed itself before them. Stars that were rumored to have fallen from the heavens were speckled out among the crystal water here and there, while the wide ban of liquid gave only silence.

"B…but I…I only heard… I only saw-"

"When you look past the border between darkness and light, everything becomes clear." Vincent smiled and stood up, reaching out with his cupped hands to scoop up some of the water. It felt cool and ran through his fingers like silk, dropping back into the body of liquid that had its own little glow.

"I-it's beautiful, Vincent," Sofia breathed.

"Ha! I don't know how many times we've spoken that word tonight." He sat back down next to her, dusting off his knees. "So…do you like it?"

"I love it!" she exclaimed, raising her hands in excitement and happiness. I wish Mr. Ceedric was here to see this."

"He knows about it. I just wanted to be the first to show you it. Seems a little cocky-it might have ruined a planned surprise, but oh well! I'm just glad you love it. Sofia, welcome to the Pool of Sacred Moonlight." She breathed once more, looking at the stone walls and scanning over the waterfall that reached way up high, as if it was trying to touch the stars.

"Vincent, where does this waterfall come from?" she asked, suddenly noticing that the line where the land and the sky met was blurred.

"They say that the falls come from the heavens above. From here, you cannot see the beginning nor get to it unless you are an angel," he replied, looking up at it as well. Sofia gazed back at him.

"But you are a vampire. I thought vampires didn't like talking about angels and other stuff like that? You know-good things. I thought vampire were bad."

"Well, you're right, normally we hardly talk about angels and stuff-another rule around here-but this pool has been around for thousands of years. Some say our Lord's tears have been spilt here."

"But if the Count drinks blood like the rest of us, doesn't that mean he cries it?" Vincent laughed at her question.

"Perhaps so, but now you're just getting into the logical side. These are legends, Sofia, stories that I have heard from the other vampires. I don't know if they're true or not!" he gleamed. "But either way, I'm glad it exists. Most of the time I come here whenever I am troubled, rather if I'm hurt or angry. The light that it gives hands me comfort, and it is a reminder that tells me that not all dark things are bad. The Night is what keeps us alive, Sofia. It keeps everything in balance. Without the Night, what purpose is there in the Day? Without the Moon and the Stars, where can the Sun hide to rest? Everything that exists-our world and everything else-is all a balance of act. And hopefully our lives will be just like that-only they have less to do with pain, and more to do with beauty."

"You showed me a very enchanting thing, Vincent. Thank you." Sofia reached up and wrapped her arms around his waist, her face dug into his chest. She breathed in his sweet scent as his arms enclosed around her, her senses getting lost while she surrendered to his honeyed estate. Vincent could already feel a bond of friendship begin to form-something rare and special in the vampiric culture-and he decided that he would teach her all the wonders of being a vampire, even if it meant he had to go through a thousand books of history. He would take her to the beginning. The _very _beginning. The time when Vlad and Elizabetha walked the earth, to the very day him and Sofia were breathing. He'd tell her all the wars the Count fought, and how the order of the heavens and hell came to be. There would be darkness. There would be death. But hidden in there would be light and beauty, romance hinted here and there, all connected in a pattern of time that stained the humans' world and theirs.

And Vincent would have Sofia see it all.


	19. Chapter 19

The hours flew by, one by one, as Cedric continued to gaze at the fireplace. This was the second night he could actually enjoy one; he hadn't had the time to relax by one in a long time. Unfortunately a lot was on his mind, therefore only the flames could ease the atmosphere around him so he could think clearly. He thought about the fight that had occurred a few nights ago, the image of Roland and his men being escorted, some trotting and jogging away in fear. Viktor proclaimed that a few of them tried to keep themselves silent by whispering to one another, but the vampire didn't allow it and threatened to end their lives if they wouldn't shut up. That's just the way Viktor is. If you don't be quiet when he wants you to, you'll get your head ripped off faster than a bat chasing down a mouse. Or at least…that's what he claimed what would happen to the person who'd disturb him.

But even though Cedric tried to shove that out of his mind and succeeded, other things came to him one by one. Is Roland going to come back? Is he-this time-going to unite with another kingdom, perhaps _all _the kingdoms? Cedric knew well that the king of Enchancia didn't give up quickly. And because of this, he was worried for Sofia's safety. It'd be dangerous for an inexperienced vampire if he or she was around a human, especially a pack of them. They could have weapons or could possibly lure you into traps. And from experience, that was something Cedric didn't want to happen to Sofia.

_Anything but that, _he thought, his footsteps echoing throughout the room as the flames of the fire grew higher and brighter. His hand shielded his eyes as a reached over to a nearby table and poured a few dabs of water into it, making the heat ease down a bit. He was just about to put it out permanently when someone knocked on the door. And he called.

"Come in!"

A heavy creek sounded through the room, bouncing off the stone walls and fading.

"Cedric… What are you doing here this late at dawn? The sun is about to rise. Vincent didn't know where you were so he had to send Sofia to bed," Viktor claimed. "Is there something going on that I should know about?"

The man in the purple robe sighed and brushed back his grey bangs.

"No, no, just thinking. I'm…a little worried, that's all."

"Worried for what?" Viktor asked, his icy and cold eyes reflecting slight curiosity. Cedric shrugged, his gaze still fixed on the water. At times he would stare at it long enough without blinking to the point where his sight would water up in pain.

"Nothing, Viktor, just Sofia. And Vincent. And Thyia, and Luna, and you. And the rest of the castle. And the rest of our kind. And our kind's existence. And-"

"Alright Cedric, I get it," the co-leader laughed. "You're upset." This caught Cedric's attention as his voice started out as regular and then mumbled off.

"Upset? I'm not upset. W-w-w-w-why'd I be upset?" he stuttered quickly, lowering his head yet keeping his stare fixed on him. Viktor did nothing but speak.

"When one stares into a fire for hours and hours, watching powerful flames ever-so carefully, that one is upset. I can see it in our eyes, Cedric. There is something wrong. I sense it."

"Of course there's something wrong, Viktor! Were you not there when the fight _happened?! _Our kind is possibly in total danger, and you're all acting like it's just another ordinary night! How could you _possibly _be so calm at a time like this?! Sofia is in trouble. I'm in trouble. Our kind is in trouble, and you-the leader of our group-are sitting back and watching the stars!"

Cedric's voice boomed through the air, but Viktor shot back.

"I have been up _all night_ thinking about it as well, Cedric! Don't go thinking you have the right to accuse your leader!"

"Accuse? _Accuse?! _Look who's been the one trying to tell everyone that everything's going to be okay when it's not! Look who's been the one letting another vampire take his place for a while! You made me command them as if being leader meant nothing to you! You didn't even put up a fight with me. How pathetic of you to stand by and give your place up willingly! I know it was me, but it could have been somebody else! Somebody who had dark intentions! And you chose to just _stand there!_ I-"

"_THAT IS ENOUGH!_"

…Silence rang through the air as Viktor swung his arm, killing the fire and making the room go black. But his cold stone eyes still burned like two slits of the moon, while his voice was dark and chilled Cedric to the bone.

"I am concerned about our kind just as much as you are. I let you command everyone because I knew that you knew what you were doing. It seemed like a good time for you to take the lead for a little while. Now if it was someone other than you and _didn't _know what they were doing, I would have rid them from the place immediately. But I knew that you would lay your life on the line to keep your daughter safe, so I went ahead and let it pass. So don't you _dare _think that I was being disloyal to my kin! I care about them more than anyone else in the world, including my own life. It is you who are wrong and you who are blinded by your fear for Sofia and us that you are not seeing the reasons behind what is happening. You almost lost your place in this castle, Cedric. It is against the rules to confront your leader!"

It took a moment or two, but in the end Cedric sighed as he calmed down, his breathing lowering to an average point. Viktor was right. Being shaken with nervousness really did blind him for a moment.

_I cannot let that happen again, _he thought to himself. _What if something like this occurred with Sofia? Would she ever forgive me? What if I someday hurt her? _He squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to picture that image of him. He wanted to keep her safe, not bring her harm! If he did such a thing how could he live with himself? How would he be able to move on knowing that his own daughter's feelings have been destroyed by him? Cedric already tried to steal her amulet many moons ago, and when he went back to the time where his father told him how he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he really did hurt Sofia-not physically, but emotionally-he realized that he was right.

"I am sorry, Viktor," he murmured, looking at him with wide as even when it was pitch black. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. My mistake…" The man with the cold blue eyes trailed over to him silently and patted his shoulder blade.

"Don't get yourself down, lad. I know you worry for her greatly, but sometimes we have to try our best to keep a clear mind, even if that does mean staring into a fire for an eternity. Either way, just know that you're never alone. You have a whole family out here that is willing to fight for you and your daughter. You just have to remember that when times are tough." Cedric nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that's true," he sighed. "I just can't believe how stupid I was so long ago, and every now and then it breaks my heart to realize that it took me this long to understand that Sofia cared for me. All my life I have had no one but my parents-and sometimes even they weren't good enough-and the rest of the world was just against me. But when Sofia came, I…I-"

"Say no more, Cedric," Viktor said, holding up his hand as a sign of halt when Cedric's voice began to crack in sorrowful emotion. "You told me before. I understand. But you have to let go of all that stuff because it just doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is who you are now. You have a daughter who loves you. Friends who adore you. You have so many people on your side when the past is blinding you from realize it. It's time to wake up, my brethren. This is a new era for us, and for you."

Cedric smiled through the darkness and acknowledged his words that entered his state of mind. He liked it whenever Viktor would give him advice, and even though Vincent was younger than him, he liked to sometimes hear some from him as well.

"Thank you for those words, Viktor. I appreciate your support for me. I only hope that this winter will pass by quickly, and the humans on the other side of the land will leave us be. But one of the princesses of Enchancia is missing. Roland isn't going to-"

"Give up on finding Sofia, yes, I know. But while his military is at its weakest point, we have enough time to plan, and we will do that later on when the sun sets. There will be a meeting in the clearing tonight. Everyone is required to come, so you might as well spread the word before you retire for the day."

Cedric grinned and nodded in respect as Viktor trailed towards the doorway, his black cape following gracefully behind him.

"Good day, Cedric. I shall see you at sundown."

And he was left off in the dark.


End file.
